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JIU/REP/2002/11

IMPLEMENTATION OF IN THE SYSTEM

Prepared by

Eduard Kudryavtsev Louis-Dominique Ouedraogo

Joint Inspection Unit

Geneva 2003

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CONTENTS

Paragraphs Page

ACRONYMS ...... iv

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: OBJECTIVE, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...... v

INTRODUCTION ...... 1 - 5 1

I. STATUS OF USED IN ORGANIZATIONS ...... 6 - 48 3

A. Languages of authentic texts ...... 8 - 10 3 B. Languages of deliberation and documentation ...... 11 - 31 4 C. Languages for communication and dissemination of information ...... 32 - 34 8 D. Working languages of secretariats...... 35 - 37 9 E. In search of parity...... 38 - 48 9

II. MULTILINGUALISM AND THE SECRETARIATS’ WORKING ENVIRONMENT ...... 49 - 78 13

A. Human resources management ...... 50 - 70 13 B. The challenges involved in employing a multilingual workforce ...... 71 - 75 18 C. Language skills and programme implementation ...... 76 - 78 19

III. MULTILINGUALISM TO BETTER SERVE MEMBER STATES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ...... 79 - 126 20

A. User satisfaction and other performance indicators...... 79 - 84 20 B. Interpretation and translation services (language services) ...... 85 - 102 21 C. Provision of documents in different languages ...... 103 - 109 25 D. Outreaching “We the peoples of the United Nations” ...... 110 - 123 27 E. Interaction with the business community ...... 124 - 126 30

IV. MEMBER STATES AND SECRETARIATS SHARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS ...... 127 - 146 32

A. The issue of resources ...... 127 - 136 32 B. Improved arrangements within secretariats ...... 137 - 146 34

Annexes ...... 37

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ACRONYMS

ACABQ Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions ACC Administrative Committee on Coordination (now CEB) AFRO Regional Office for (WHO) AMRO Regional Office for the (WHO) CEB United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination DGAACS Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services (now DGACM) DGACM Department for General Assembly Affairs and Conference Management DPI Department of Public Information ECA Economic Commission for Africa ECE Economic Commission for Europe ECLAC Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean EMRO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO) ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ESCWA Economic and Social Commission for EU EURO Regional Office for Europe (WHO) FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency IAMLADP Inter-Agency Meeting on Language Arrangements, Documentation and Publications IAPSO Inter-Agency Procurement Services Office IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization ICJ International Court of Justice ICSC International Civil Service Commission ICSID International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes IDA International Development Association IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development IFC International Finance Corporation ILO International Labour Organization IMF International Monetary Fund IMO International Maritime Organization IOF International Organization of la Francophonie IOM International Organization for Migration ITU International Union JIAMCATT Joint Inter-Agency Meeting on Computer-Assisted Translation and Terminology JIU Joint Inspection Unit LDCs Least Developed Countries MIGA Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency NGO Non-Governmental Organization ODCCP United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention ODS Official Document System (formerly Optical disk system) OCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OIOS Office of Internal Oversight Services PAHO Pan-American Health Organization PCT Patent Corporation Treaty (WIPO) SEARO Regional Office for South East Asia (WHO) UNAT United Nations Administrative Tribunal UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UN-Habitat United Nations Human Settlements Programme UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization UNOG United Nations Office at Geneva UNON United Nations Office at Nairobi UNOPS United Nations Office for Project Services UNOV United Nations Office at Vienna UNRWA United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Refugees in the Near East UPU WFP WHO World Health Organization WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization WMO World Meteorological Organization WPRO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WHO)

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: OBJECTIVE, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

OBJECTIVE: To assist legislative bodies and secretariats in their efforts to the challenges of maintaining and improving the multilingual content of services required by the universal character of United Nations system organizations

Status of languages used in the United Nations an equal opportunity to contribute to the system (chapter I) legislative process or to the formulation of the meeting’s outputs as the case may be; A. Irrespective of the applicable terminology concerning their status, languages are used in (b) For meetings of governing bodies and other organizations of the United Nations system to intergovernmental meetings, language provide interpretation and translation services for arrangements as called for in the rules of different types of meetings as well as for procedure should be strictly adhered to, unless communication and the dissemination of otherwise decided by the membership; when information. Most organizations consider secretariats are unable to provide pre-session multilingualism as a corollary to their universal documents in all prescribed languages for character and their governing bodies have reasons beyond their control, they should repeatedly insisted on the need to ensure the strict exceptionally submit such documents application of rules establishing language parity. temporarily in abridged format or executive However, many meetings attended by summary in the languages concerned within the representatives of Member States continue to be established deadlines; held without interpretation or without documents available in all prescribed languages. The resulting (c) Other categories of meetings such as expert situation may contribute to marginalize some group meetings or seminars should be organized linguistic groups, particularly from developing taking into account the language proficiency of countries, to the extent that it does not allow them those called upon to attend; to contribute on an equal basis to the outcomes of these meetings. Improvements sought by (d) While languages used for the dissemination secretariats would be facilitated by further of information should aim at outreaching, to the clarifications on the objectives of services expected largest extent possible, targeted audiences in the from the use of different languages to serve the framework of the mandate of each organization, needs of specific audiences (paras. 11 to 34). their scope should include all languages normally used by each organization, due regard RECOMMENDATION 1 being given to those applicable at field level.

On the basis of data to be submitted by B. Some organizations have designated one or secretariats indicating for each language the several languages as the (s) of the level of language services being currently secretariat while others have not. In many provided in relation to meetings and for the organizations, for convenience of in-house dissemination of information, legislative bodies communication or otherwise, there is in practice a may wish to review and clarify the status of the working language. Besides the mandated different languages used in their organization so or de facto working languages, some staff members as to provide further guidance on Member actually use or are encouraged to use other States’ expectations thereof, along the following languages to perform their duties. The borderline principles. between recognized working languages and other languages used for work deserves further review (a) Within the framework of applicable rules particularly where executive heads have been governing the use of languages, the prime called upon by their governing bodies to ensure the objective of language arrangements for any strict application of rules establishing linguistic meeting should be to provide to all participants practice in relation to the use of languages within secretariats (paras. 35 to 37).

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RECOMMENDATION 2 and method of posting may give some candidates an advantage because of their language group or As part of their reporting on the use of the ease with which they can access the languages, executive heads should submit to (paras. 59-61). their governing bodies information on the status of languages used for work within the RECOMMENDATION 3 secretariat and in that connection, they should indicate: For the sake of transparency and to give every candidate as fair a chance as possible of winning (a) The requirements for establishing an a post, heads of secretariats should ensure: enabling environment to foster the strict application of rules concerning the use of (a) That the rules as to the languages which it mandated working languages, including the will be considered essential or advantageous for availability of databases and research tools; candidates to know are uniform and take into account the linguistic requirements of the post (b) The implications of using or not being in question; proficient in a de facto working language in terms of recruitment policies and career (b) That the mother-tongue requirement is, development; where appropriate, replaced by a principal-language-of-education requirement; (c) The extent to which other languages are used by staff from all duty stations to perform (c) That posts in the Professional category and their official functions and incentives which may above are classified by the language be provided to that effect. requirements they entail and that the classification is reflected in the periodic reports Multilingualism and the secretariats’ working on human resources management or the environment (chapter II) composition of their Secretariat that they submit to their governing bodies; C. On initial recruitment, perfect command of one or more languages is a sine qua non. Apart from (d) That, in accordance with the rules on the use these required languages, at least one of which will of languages within the Secretariats, the be a working language, knowledge of one or more possibility of early access to vacancy additional languages is sometimes mentioned as announcements via the Internet does not give desirable. In vacancy announcements, the question any language group an unfair advantage; to that which languages it is a requirement or an end, and save in exceptional circumstances to be advantage to know basically depends on the justified by the recruitment unit, all vacancy functions of the post to be filled. However, the announcements should be issued simultaneously criteria for deciding which those languages should in, as appropriate, at least two of the be sometimes vary within an organization or even Secretariat’s working languages or two of the within the same administrative unit (paras. 50-58). organization’s languages;

D. In addition to what have so far been the usual (e) That candidates who do not have access to means of posting or publicizing them, vacancy the Internet are able to consult vacancy announcements are increasingly being posted announcements and submit job applications electronically. Moreover, with a view to online at the organization’s local office or the rationalizing and accelerating recruitment office of the United Nations system’s Resident processes, some organizations, while not barring Coordinator. candidates from applying by letter or , recommend online application and provide an E. Many organizations offer their staff electronic version of the application form for the language-training opportunities with the aim of purpose. Since the deadline for the submission of promoting multilingualism by encouraging applications is the same in each case, the language proficiency in and use of a variety of languages in

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the working environment. Although organizations RECOMMENDATION 5 sometimes invest substantial sums to this end, there are few performance indicators for use in As appropriate, executive heads should improving the training programmes so as to undertake a survey to better assess user facilitate achievement of that aim without satisfaction with the services provided in overlooking the language skills already available different languages in the context of meetings within secretariats (paras. 65-70). and for the dissemination of information; targeted groups for such a survey should F. For the implementation of technical include not only linguistic groups of Member cooperation projects, project teams need staff with States, but also representative groups of language skills appropriate to the country or region non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and in question. While it is known that the absence of accredited representatives of news media. such skills may cause problems for some receiving countries, the impact on the efficiency of project H. While user satisfaction may be an important execution has yet to be evaluated (paras. 76-78). performance indicator, language services often face constraints impairing their capacity to improve on RECOMMENDATION 4 the level and quality of outputs, irrespective of the dedication of staff concerned. Such constraints Heads of secretariats are invited to ask need to be more adequately addressed in order to evaluation and/or internal monitoring bodies to continue to attract, recruit or retain qualified include in their programmes of work for 2004: language staff in a very competitive market. In particular, some organizations have been flooded (a) A comprehensive inventory of staff’s by reports to a point where it has become almost language skills, an evaluation of impossible to provide high quality documents in all language-training programmes in terms of their language versions and within prescribed deadlines contribution towards their stated aims and a (paras. 85-88 and 104-109). report in the most appropriate form to governing bodies on those activities; RECOMMENDATION 6

(b) A survey both internally and among the In order to maintain or improve the quality and beneficiary countries most directly concerned in multilingual content of outputs provided in the order to check, particularly when a beneficiary different languages of the organizations: country’s is not the secretariat’s usual working language or a (a) Executive heads should keep under constant language known to project implementation review the workloads and other working officers, that the level of language skills in conditions of language units and take required relevant departments does not delay the corrective measures within their prerogative, approval and efficient implementation of while submitting to their governing bodies other projects. issues requiring their consideration, guidance or decision; Multilingualism to better serve Member States and other stakeholders (chapter III) (b) Governing bodies may wish to reassess their needs for recurring documentation and to G. The overall purpose of multilingualism is not reconsider current provisions related to the only to facilitate the full participation of all submission of documents originating from Member States in the legislative process, but also Member States in order to supplement efforts to outreach the public at large in order to help build made by secretariats towards the overall broad-based global support and create opportunities reduction of documentation and their timely for partnerships. A reliable assessment of user submission. satisfaction could therefore guide efforts made in response to calls for improvements as well as to address better the needs of targeted audiences (paras. 79-84).

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Member States and secretariats share (d) To monitor progress made when considering responsibility for further improvements either specific reports on multilingualism, or (chapter IV) reports on programme performance in which pertinent indicators should be included. I. Where governing bodies have called on secretariats to adhere strictly to language parity, J. Secretariats have yet to take full advantage of seldom have they recognized that this entailed internal arrangements and enhanced inter-agency either additional resources or a reallocation of cooperation particularly in relation to the resources. Quite often, managers had therefore to dissemination of information on multidisciplinary implement new programmes or satisfy unplanned or global issues. A change of culture is needed for demands “within existing resources” and they language skills within departments or units to be encountered difficulties by stretching resources to better reflected in the multilingual content of the limit. Besides the regular budget, there are secretariats’ outputs, and in that connection the other opportunities for partnerships and importance of the linguistic capabilities of senior extrabudgetary sources of funding which should be staff and their effective use cannot be seen as complementary efforts and not as overemphasized. Being the symbol of the unity of substitutes for the collective commitments of the system, the Secretary-General of the Member States for improved multilingualism. With United Nations and the members of the the introduction of results-based budgeting in most United Nations System Chief Executives Board for organizations, Member States have at their disposal Coordination (CEB) can play a leadership role in an ideal tool to make secretariats more accountable better projecting the fact that multilingualism is for expected accomplishments (paras. 127-136). indeed a corollary of the universal character of their respective organizations (paras. 137-146). RECOMMENDATION 7 RECOMMENDATION 8 Legislative bodies may wish to: Executive heads should encourage or continue (a) Decide that, as a matter of policy, the to encourage their staff and particularly their regular budget should be the prime source of senior staff to foster a cultural change within funding to support efforts aimed at reducing secretariats by making fuller use of their current imbalances in the use of languages, in linguistic capabilities which should be translated conformity with approved resolutions and into more visible indicators in the workplace. decisions; RECOMMENDATION 9 (b) Request that, for future budget cycles and through appropriate consultations with Member In his capacity as chairman of CEB and in the States, executive heads should submit in the framework of the annual reports of CEB to the proposed programme budget predefined Economic and Social Council, the objectives for improved multilingualism and Secretary-General of the United Nations should expected results derived from phased priorities, indicate the extent to which CEB machinery is due regard being paid to all opportunities for contributing to enhance the multilingual content partnerships and extrabudgetary sources of of its own web sites and to foster for all its funding; stakeholders improved access to information on global issues from the web sites of its members. (c) Request executive heads to indicate in particular in their budget proposals the languages in which planned publications will be issued as well as languages in which information materials will be posted on the different web sites; in that connection, they should demonstrate that languages and related resources used for these outputs are linked to the attainment of expected accomplishments;

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INTRODUCTION

1. The question of multilingualism has been a United Nations (Dag Hammarskjőld Library) recurring issue on the agendas of many governing which were mainly concerned that reiterated bodies of the United Nations system organizations requests made by governing bodies to adhere including the General Assembly of the strictly to the principle of equal treatment of United Nations where it has been considered on a languages could hardly be met without additional biennial basis since 1995. In that connection, and financial resources. Besides taking into account on the occasion of the commemoration of the these particular concerns, the Inspectors felt that fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Charter, their report should also focus on the impact of the General Assembly approved language policies on other stakeholders such as on 2 November 1995 resolution 50/11 on civil society and the private sector whose multilingualism, whereby it recalled that “the involvement and interaction with United Nations universality of the United Nations and its corollary, system organizations have been at the forefront of multilingualism, entail for each State Member of important initiatives by the Secretary-General of the Organization, irrespective of the official the United Nations and other executive heads. language in which it expresses itself, the right and the duty to make itself understood and to 4. Specific reports and resolutions dealing with understand others”. The Assembly also emphasized language services or issues, reports on programme “the importance of providing access for all implementation or programme performance, Governments and all sectors of civil society to the pertinent reports by the Advisory Committee on Organization’s documentation, archives and data Administrative and Budgetary Questions banks in all the official languages”. It requested the (ACABQ) as well as some internal oversight Secretary-General “to ensure the strict reports have provided useful information which has implementation of the resolutions establishing been complemented by replies to a detailed language arrangements for both the official questionnaire sent to all secretariats of the languages and the working languages of the participating organizations concerned. In addition, Secretariat”, and invited “Member States to do field missions were undertaken to a selected likewise”. number of headquarters and to two regional commissions. The experience of two 2. Overall, governing bodies consider that the non-United Nations system institutions - the diversity of prescribed languages is not only a Organisation for Economic Co-operation and source of general enrichment and of better Development (OECD) and the Commission of the understanding among their Member States but also European Union (EU) - was looked into and the an asset for the organizations in the discharge of Inspectors attended two meetings of the their mandate to disseminate information. Despite Inter-Agency Meeting on Language Arrangements, countless resolutions stressing the importance Documentation and Publications (IAMLADP) and attached by Member States to the strict observance the Joint Inter-Agency Meeting on of rules establishing language arrangements for the Computer-Assisted Terminology and Translation different organs, several reasons have not always (JIAMCATT) held in Geneva. They would like to enabled secretariats to provide multilingual express their sincere gratitude to all those who services at levels meeting the expectations of all made a valuable contribution to their queries. their stakeholders. 5. After a review of the status of languages 3. The Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) issued a report drawn mainly from rules of procedure of in 1977 in which some of the issues related to the different governing bodies and other legislation implementation of multilingualism were dealt (chapter II) and an analysis of the extent to with.1 The current review by the Unit has been which the work environment of secretariats has a conducted upon the suggestion of the secretariats of bearing on the implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the multilingualism (chapter III), the report makes an assessment of how multilingualism can best

serve Member States and other stakeholders 1 JIU/REP/77/5, “The implications of additional languages in the United Nations system.” (chapter IV). The last chapter examines the General Assembly document A/32/237. respective roles Member States and secretariats can play in a shared responsibility approach for - 2 -

further improvements. Besides common issues which are covered from a system-wide perspective in the current report, addenda on case studies will be issued later for a selected number of organizations, so as to address more specific issues and concerns while drawing from best practices elsewhere. - 3 -

I. STATUS OF LANGUAGES USED IN UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM ORGANIZATIONS

6. Since the nineteenth century the official status character, the status given to languages varies not of languages used in international diplomacy has only from one organization to another but even changed in direct relation to the changes in how between separate bodies of the same organization. diplomacy itself is conducted. Before the 1919 From the terminology used, reference has been Peace Conference and the where made to languages for “authentic texts” and for English and French were first used for “official texts”, “official languages”, “working interpretation and translation, international languages”, “languages of deliberation”, conferences at the governmental level were “languages of documentation”, and languages conducted exclusively in French, the language par which are none of the above. excellence among diplomats. Although Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Charter of the United Nations A. Languages of authentic texts recognizes that “The Organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its 8. Similar to Article 111 of the Charter of the Members”, the status given to languages by the United Nations which stipulates that “the Chinese, signatories is indicative of their effort to strike a French, Russian, English, and Spanish texts are delicate balance between the geopolitical reality equally authentic”, the texts of the constitutive acts resulting from the Second World War, their of treaty-based organizations or the texts of treaties determination to change nineteenth century administered by them have been signed in one or a diplomatic practice and their pragmatism imposed given number of languages and such texts are partly by cost factors. Other post-war organizations considered as authentic texts. This legal statute is have acted in the same manner. important as it entails that only the authentic text(s) can serve as a basis for the interpretation of any of 7. Despite the fact that most organizations of the its provisions, particularly in case of dispute. In United Nations system have more or less the same that connection the situation in the World membership and adhere to the principle that Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) as multilingualism is an expression of their universal shown below in table I.1 is unique.

Table I.1. Languages of “authentic texts” and “official texts” in WIPO

WIPO reference document Language(s) of authentic texts Convention establishing WIPO (1967), Article 20(1)(a) and (2); in addition to authentic texts, “official E F R S texts” established by the Director-General in G, I, P and such other languages as the WIPO Conference may designate. Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, Stockholm Act (1967), Article 29(1)(a) and F (b); official texts also established in E, G, I, P, R, S and such other languages as the Paris Union Assembly may designate. Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, Paris Act (1971), Article 37(1)(a) E F and (b); official texts in A, G, I, P, S and such other languages as the Berne Union Assembly may designate. Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) (1970), Article 67(1)(a) and (b); official texts in G, J, P, R, S and such E F other languages as the PCT Union Assembly may designate (to date, those other languages include A, C and I). A: // C: Chinese // E: English // F: French // G: German // I: Italian // J: Japanese // P: Portuguese // R: Russian // S: Spanish.

9. Besides “authentic texts” in which the convention or treaty. Upon inquiry, the Assistant conventions and treaties have been signed, “official Legal Counsel of WIPO indicated that in strict texts” of these documents are also established by legal terms, “authentic texts” are more authoritative the Director-General of WIPO after consultation than “official texts”, but technically, “official texts” with the interested governments, both in prescribed could also be “authenticated” by the States languages and in such other languages as may be concerned to give them the same official status as designated by the governing body of each authentic texts. However in actual WIPO practice, there seems to be really no difference.

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10. Languages of authentic texts do not necessarily distinction between “official languages” and coincide with official languages. For instance, the “working languages” but it is not always clear what languages of authentic texts of the Charter of the that status entails per se in terms of language United Nations have remained the initial five services to be provided by the secretariat. In official languages of 1945 and Arabic was not resolution WHA31.13 of 18 May 1978, the World added to the list when it became an official Health Assembly acknowledged that “the concept language. In the United Nations Educational, of official languages in WHO relates at present to Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) interpretation of speeches made in those languages, where there are nine official languages for the whereas the concept of working languages relates Conference and six for the Executive Board as essentially to translation and is applied on a detailed below in paragraph 16, only the texts of pragmatic basis, taking into account the specific the Convention in two languages - English and requirements of Member States, the Assembly and French - are designated by Article XIV (1) as being the Executive Board”. equally authentic. In the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), when 13. In the United Nations, the distinction between Arabic was still categorized as a “limited working “official” and “working” languages of deliberative language” and on the basis of an initial draft organs is not necessarily based on whether those prepared by the League of Arab States, the FAO languages are used for interpretation vs. translation. Conference adopted resolution 10/69 The expressions “official languages” and “working of 24 November 1969 whereby the Arabic version languages” can actually be traced back to of the Constitution was approved as an authentic resolution 2 (I) of the General Assembly which text and Article XXII of the Constitution amended chose Chinese, English, French, Russian and accordingly. The addition of new language versions Spanish to be the official languages in all organs as authentic texts of constitutive acts is not only a other than the International Court of Justice (ICJ) question of translating a document into another while English and French were designated as language for the benefit of the language groups working languages. As simultaneous interpretation concerned, but it has legal implications for all was not yet used, speeches made in any of the other parties and requires an amendment to the three official languages were interpreted into both Constitution, a process which governing bodies working languages and all resolutions and other may be reluctant to undertake. important documents were made available in the official languages. Since then and through an B. Languages of deliberation and incremental approach, successive resolutions of the documentation General Assembly added Arabic to the initial five official languages of the Assembly in 1973,2 while 11. Annexes I(a) and I(b) provide information on the number of working languages moved from two the languages prescribed for different organs of the to six with the inclusion of Spanish in 1948,3 United Nations and affiliated bodies on the one Russian in 1968,4 Chinese and Arabic in 1973.5 hand, and the governing bodies of the specialized The above six languages are also the official and agencies and IAEA on the other hand. Besides the working languages of the Security Council as well limited number of languages selected for as the official languages of the Economic and interpretation and translation services to be Social Council which has English, French and normally provided by the secretariats, the general Spanish as its working languages. From the current rule is often that other languages may be used if the rules of procedure of these three main organs, there requesting Member State(s) pay for all or part of the related costs. With the exception of the 2 General Assembly resolution 3190 (XXVIII) Universal Postal Union (UPU) which is a special of 18 December 1973. case detailed below, the source of funding regular budget or extrabudgetary resources appears 3 General Assembly resolution 262 (III) therefore to be an important distinctive feature of 11 December 1948. between prescribed languages and other languages. 4 General Assembly resolution 2479 (XXIII) of 21 December 1968. (a) Official and working languages

5 General Assembly resolutions 3189 (XXVIII) and 12. Some organizations including the 3190 (XXVIII) of 18 December 1973 respectively. United Nations and its affiliated bodies make a - 5 -

is no difference of status for official and working resolution COM6/1 (Marrakech, 2002), the languages in terms of interpretation and translation Minneapolis 1998 and Marrakech 2002 except in the Economic and Social Council where Plenipotentiary Conferences requested that those records are kept only in the working languages. limitations be gradually lifted. Consequently, as from 1 January 2005, all six languages are expected 14. The Executive Board of the United Nations to enjoy equal treatment. Development Programme (UNDP) and of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) also 17. In UNESCO, the official languages of the distinguishes between “official” languages (Arabic, General Conference are Arabic, Chinese, English, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) French, , Italian, Portuguese, Russian and and “working” languages (English, French and Spanish. In addition, any other language may be Spanish) but all official documents of the Board are recognized as an official language of the translated into the six official languages except Conference upon the request of the concerned country programmes and conference room papers Member State or Member States, provided that no which are translated into the working languages Member State makes such a request for more than only. one language. No such request has ever been made until now. The use of official languages is 15. With the exception of the Economic governed by rule 55 which prescribes that (a) any Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean amendment to the text of the Constitution, or any (ECLAC), the rules of procedure in other regional decision of the General Conference regarding the commissions of the United Nations do not make Constitution and the legal status of UNESCO, shall any reference to official languages but only to be translated into all the official languages; and working languages. In principle, speeches made in (b) at the request of any delegation, any other any one of the working languages are interpreted important document, including verbatim records, into the other working languages and all may be translated into any other official language. resolutions, recommendations and other formal In the latter case, the delegation concerned shall decisions as well as annual reports are made provide the necessary translators if the occasion available in all the working languages. However in arises. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian ECLAC, rule 44 of the rules of procedure stipulates and Spanish are the working languages of both the that “The final text of the Commission report to the General Conference and the Executive Board. Economic and Social Council and of its resolutions When the General Conference is held in a country shall be prepared in Spanish, French, English and where the is none of the working Portuguese, which shall be the official languages of languages, the Executive Board is authorized to the Commission. The first three languages make special arrangements for the use of that mentioned shall be the working languages.” language during the Conference. Rule 45 provides further that “Speeches made in any of the working languages shall be interpreted 18. Although the secretariat of WIPO informed the into the other working languages.” In practice, Inspectors that the expression “official languages” most interpretation and translation services costs in does not exist in the Organization, it should be Portuguese, when required for meetings of the pointed out that when the WIPO General Assembly Commission, are borne by the requesting considered at its session held in Member State. September-October 2000 a report on “The use of Portuguese as a working language of WIPO” 16. Since the Plenipotentiary Conference (WO/GA/26/1), it recalled the decision of the (Nice, 1989), the basic instruments of the Governing Bodies in 1979 to have Portuguese as a International Union (ITU) working language of WIPO, and being “cognizant have provided that the Union has Arabic, Chinese, that no claim has been made to transform English, French, Russian and Spanish as its six Portuguese into an official language”, the official and working languages. However, owing Assembly acted accordingly. It decided (a) to have mainly to financial constraints, both the Nice 1989 Portuguese used in meetings in development and Kyoto 1994 Plenipotentiary Conferences cooperation activities for developing countries and imposed “interim limitations” on the use of some least developed countries (LDCs), as appropriate; languages which affected the translation of (b) to have promotional material produced in documents in Arabic, Chinese and Russian. By Portuguese regarding WIPO-administered treaties; resolution 103 (Minneapolis, 1998) and (c) to develop a Portuguese part of WIPO’s web - 6 -

site for publications in Portuguese; and (d) to charged to the regular budget. Linguistic groups provide, as necessary, Portuguese interpretation for using Chinese, German, Portuguese and Russian diplomatic conferences and for the receive a contribution of up to 150,000 Swiss General Assembly, the specific arrangements to be francs towards meeting the costs of translation into at the discretion of the Director-General who would those languages. Following the introduction of also be encouraged to seek voluntary contributions English as a second working language, the 1999 in that regard. In practical terms, the status thus Beijing Congress decided that Member States using enjoyed by Portuguese in WIPO has obviously no the official language would contribute a lump-sum common measure with its statute as an official to partially offset the translation costs of language in ECLAC. non-official documents, with the contributive unit for such lump-sum being equal to the one paid by (b) The special case of the Universal users of English. Postal Union (c) The situation in the Bretton Woods 19. Article 6 of the Constitution of UPU signed institutions and the International in 1876 provides that “The official language of the Fund for Agricultural Development Union shall be French”. This provision has (IFAD) remained unchanged since then and up until the Madrid Congress of 1920, delegations had either to 21. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) does use the official language in their speeches or had to not have “official” languages but English is the hire, at their own expense, an interpreter who working language in accordance with Rule C-13 of would deliver their speech in French on their the Rules and Regulations as adopted behalf. From the 1920 Madrid Congress onwards, on 25 September 1946 and amended the question of adding other languages as official on 1 April 1978. That Rule also provides that “the languages or languages for debates and discussion, documents, and reports of meetings documentation was raised on many occasions, but shall ordinarily be in English” and that “speeches changes have been introduced very slowly, or papers presented in other languages shall be considering that it was only at the Lausanne translated into English”. Translation into the Congress in 1974 that English, Arabic and Spanish institution’s “standard” languages (Arabic, were admitted as languages for documentation Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, besides French, with Chinese, German, Portuguese and Spanish) is readily made available by the IMF and Russian being added at the 1979 Congress in Language Services but translation into Rio de Janeiro. While maintaining French as the “non-standard” languages is provided only in only official language, the Seoul Congress in 1994 special circumstances when the service is deemed decided that English would be the second working to be in the interest of the institution and of the language of the International Bureau. Before that member country. In addition, there may be decision, all documents issued by the Bureau were translation on request from any other languages in French. Although postal administrations at into English. Interpretation is available in Arabic, national level may agree on the language to be used Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish in their relations, only the official language of the and it may also be provided in other languages on Union should be used in the absence of such an ad hoc basis. This being said, IMF indicated that agreement. it does not consider itself an organization statutorily called upon to promote multilingualism. 20. For the deliberations of the different organs of UPU, interpretation is provided in English, French, 22. The is composed of five Russian and Spanish and related costs beyond closely associated institutions i.e. the International technical installations and maintenance are Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), supported by the users in proportion to their the International Development Association (IDA), percentage share of the budget of the Union. For the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the documentation, Member States using a language Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) other than the official language constitute a and the International Center for Settlement of linguistic group which also bears part of the costs. Investment Disputes (ICSID). The term Member States using Arabic, English and Spanish “World Bank” refers specifically only to IBRD and pay only for actual translation costs, all other costs IDA. ICSID was established by a convention related to reproduction and distribution being signed in English, French and Spanish with all - 7 -

three texts being equally authentic. In the first four and documentation, including languages such as institutions, no reference is made to language in Russian or Chinese which are not official their Articles of Agreement, except that these languages of any Member State. constitutive acts have all been signed each in one single copy in English which is also the working (e) Alternative terms instead of “official” language. Loan agreements are signed in the and “working” languages working language and even when translated into the official language of the borrower, only the 26. The situation depicted above demonstrates English version prevails in case of dispute. The amply that the delineation between official World Bank is nonetheless keen to have many of languages and working languages is blurred if not its documents and publications in several other confusing. This explains the position taken long languages, but in the same way as in IMF, ago by the FAO Conference. Originally, Arabic, multilingualism is not considered a goal per se. Chinese, English, French and Spanish were the official languages of that organization and English, 23. IFAD membership is open to any State French and Spanish the working languages while Member of the United Nations, any of the Arabic had a status of “working language for specialized agencies or the International Atomic limited purposes”. In 1977, the FAO Conference Energy Agency (IAEA). The rules of procedure of concurred with the Council’s view that the terms the Governing Council (the highest “official”, “working” and “working languages for decision-making body composed of representatives limited purposes” did not have a defined meaning, of all 162 Member States) and the Executive Board and that the distinctions made in this regard in the do not make reference to official or working rules of the Organization were both unnecessary languages but rather to “languages of the Council” and confusing. In its resolution 19/77 adopted and “languages of the Board”. The languages used on 28 November 1977, the Conference considered in both organs include Arabic, English, French and that there was no valid reason for preserving these Spanish but not Chinese although is a distinctions and it amended the General Rules member (the Russian Federation is not a member). accordingly. These now state that Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish are the languages of (d) The situation in two the Organization. non-United Nations organizations (EU and OECD) 27. As shown in annex I(b), a similar approach has been followed by the International Civil Aviation 24. The EU considers that multilingualism is an Organization (ICAO) where reference is made to integral part of its existence and that it is a “languages of deliberations” and “languages of reflection of its rich cultural inheritance. For all its documentation” in the rules of procedure of both institutions, multilingualism is an expression of the the Assembly and the Council, as well as by the democratic foundations of the Union as all citizens United Nations Industrial Development have the right to be informed and to be heard in Organization (UNIDO) where the rules of their own official language. Hence the Union has procedure refer to “languages of the General currently 11 official and as many working Conference” and “languages of the Board”. languages and that number is expected to increase with the prospects of enlargement by 2004. (f) Languages used on request

25. OECD is composed of 30 Member States and 28. The ongoing general principle is that Member the Commission of the EU Commission takes part States are charged for the costs of language in its work. The 1960 Paris Convention services they have requested and which imply establishing OECD was signed in English and interpretation or translation from or into languages French. These two languages are also the official other than the prescribed languages. Such has been languages of the organization according to the rules the case for German at the United Nations since of procedure. Interpretation and documentation are 1975 when the General Assembly decided that provided in the two official languages, but in selected documents from the Assembly, the practice and as required during negotiations, other Security Council and the Economic and Social languages are used as well for both interpretation Council should be issued in the

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as from 1 January 1975, with assurances given then results, it would be most important to review by the requesting Member States (, the existing language arrangements and to check German Democratic Republic and the Federal whether the level of services being provided for Republic of ) that they were prepared to each language is in conformity with expectations contribute collectively to cover the related costs. and allow all Member States to participate fully in the legislative process. 29. Other organizations apply similar policies. In FAO, interpretation from and into German is C. Languages for communication and provided for the Conference, the European dissemination of information Regional Conference and the Codex Alimentarius Commission on the basis of agreed cost sharing 32. United Nations system organizations have (two thirds borne by Germany, one third by FAO), always considered dissemination of information as and at the expense of Germany for some European an important aspect of their respective mandates. workshops. Interpretation into Portuguese and By recognizing “We the peoples of the Italian is also used occasionally. Russian (which is United Nations” as stakeholders in not one of the languages of FAO) has also been intergovernmental relations, the Charter of provided for large international conferences to San Francisco contributed to a democratization of which all United Nations Members have been diplomacy which has fostered the involvement of invited (e.g. the World Conference on Agrarian civil society in the policies of all post-war Reform and Rural Development) or those jointly international organizations. Traditional media such organized with United Nations agencies having as publications in hard copy have been Russian as an official language, (WHO in the case progressively supplemented by electronic of the International Conference on Nutrition). publishing (CD-ROMs and e-books) and by web Translation services are provided, on a very limited sites on the Internet. Data provided in scale, in Italian, German and (very rarely) in annexes III (a) to III (c) indicate the languages used Russian, if and when requested by divisions for some of these media. concerned. Texts translated in Italian are often advocacy material or contracts or correspondence (a) Languages of publications with Italian sponsors. 33. In general, for publications either in hard copy 30. The cases of ECLAC and UNESCO detailed in or in electronic format, languages used are the paragraphs 15 and 17 above show the limits of same as those categorized as “official” or what the status of a language as an official “working” languages, or “languages of the language may or may not entail. In both cases, Organization” but depending on funding sources languages specified as “official languages” and co-publishing arrangements, some sales (Portuguese in the case of ECLAC and Italian, publications may not be available in a particular Hindi and Portuguese in the case of UNESCO) are official or working language of the organization not given the same legal status as others. By concerned while being issued in a language which implication, should requests for interpretation or does not have that status. Some publications are in translation from and into those languages be made one language only (usually English) while others by a requesting Member State, the delegation are in two or three languages. The flagship concerned would have to bear the related costs. publications of some organizations are made available in multiple languages. For instance, The 31. The implementation of resolutions passed by State of the World’s Children report is produced by legislative bodies calling for language parity or for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in an “equal treatment of official and working French, English and Spanish and translated into at languages” may be facilitated by a clearer least 25 other languages, the 2001 Human assessment of the implication of those terms in Development Report by UNDP was published today’s context and practice of the organizations in 13 languages and in FAO, the flagship concerned. The issue may not be just a question of publications are published in all five languages of semantics. At a time when all secretariats are the Organization while some publications are hard-pressed by their governing bodies to improve available in other languages including German, on accountability and to have their performance Italian and Portuguese. measured against the achievement of expected

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(b) Languages of the web the PCT, the Madrid and Hague systems and the services of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation 34. A 1999 review of multilingual Internet sites in Center, there are significant multilingual aspects to international organizations undertaken in the the associated services provided by the secretariat. framework of IAMLADP came to the conclusion For instance, international applications under the that besides the classification according to official PCT may be filed in any language which the and working languages, languages of the web receiving Office accepts for that purpose. In 2001, should be added as a new category of its own. The a total of 103,947 applications were filed number and languages used on the Internet appear in 20 languages. In recognition of the fact to be only limited by the resourcefulness of each that 14 per cent of PCT international applications organization. For instance, from the web site of the are filed in German and 11 per cent in Japanese, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner those two languages are included among languages for Human Rights (http://www.unhchr.ch), it is for which a language allowance may be paid. possible to access the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in more than 300 languages, a 37. Despite its special character, the case of WIPO record duly registered by Guinness World Records. does raise a valid question about what should be While the main United Nations web site is considered as a “working language” in the work maintained in the six official languages, sites of environment of secretariats. Not counting language United Nations information centres, services and staff, there are staff members in many offices worldwide have strived, depending on United Nations system organizations who use, in location, to provide information on the activities of their daily work, languages other than the the Organization in some 24 other languages such mandated working languages. As a matter of fact, as Armenian, Bangla, Czech, Greek, Italian, besides requesting the Secretary-General of the Japanese, Kiswahili, Malagasy, or Uzbek to United Nations to ensure that, upon recruitment, mention a few and that practice was encouraged by staff “have a command of and use at least one of the General Assembly in resolution 54/82 the working languages of the Secretariat”, of 6 December 1999. General Assembly resolution 50/11 on multilingualism also requested him “to ensure that D. Working languages of secretariats the use of another of the six official languages is duly encouraged and taken into account, 35. Annex II provides information on mandated particularly when promotions and incremental steps working languages (from a legislative decision) are under consideration.”6 The borderline between and de facto working languages as indicated by mandated working languages and other languages secretariats, as well as the languages mostly used used for work deserves further review. for databases, Intranets and for the original texts of documents. Whereas some organizations have two E. In search of language parity mandated working languages (United Nations except three regional commissions, UPU); three 38. The governing bodies of several organizations (ILO); four (WMO); five (FAO) or even six (ICAO have often made references to the “lack of parity” and WIPO); a few have none (WHO, IMO). Quite or the “unequal treatment” of the official/working often, irrespective of whether there are other languages, to the “imbalance” in the use of working languages defined for the secretariats, languages, or to the need to achieve “a truly English is overwhelmingly the language required to balanced use” of prescribed languages. Although access information online. secretariats concur on the meaning of equal treatment which is based on the principle of 36. It is worth noting that in WIPO the expression statutory parity among languages within existing “working languages of the secretariat” is rules decided by Member States, they also point out understood as the languages used by staff for that, in practice, they are often caught between interpretation, documents, publications or requests to “adhere strictly” to applicable rules and correspondence. Consequently, Arabic, Chinese, a pragmatic approach dictated by many factors English, French, Russian and Spanish (plus some including the level of resources allocated by their Portuguese) have been listed as the working governing bodies. languages of the secretariat. Furthermore, as the major part of the Organization’s income derives 6 General Assembly resolution 50/11, para. 3. from fees paid by private-sector applicants using - 10 -

39. At the United Nations and other organizations, argued, for instance, that such informal meetings official calendar meetings are conducted in general without interpretation increase the efficiency of the with simultaneous interpretation in the requested intergovernmental deliberative process. Whatever languages and informal meetings are provided with the reasons, it can also be argued that this trend such services on an “as-available” basis. However, thwarts the overall aim of a multilingual for different reasons, full language services are not organization and may seriously limit the effective provided to all meetings attended by participation/contribution of some Member States representatives of Member States, as shown in to the legislative process. In that regard, table I.2 below. The number of meetings held in pragmatism can also lead to practices that seriously one language varies from one organization to limit the possibility of Member States and other another, according to language used or duty station. stakeholders to participate fully in the activities of Information provided by some secretariats indicates the organizations concerned. that this trend appears to be only partially motivated by cost considerations. It has been

Table I.2: Calendar meetings held at United Nations with and without interpretation

Duty stations and number of meetings held with and 1994-1995 1996-1997 1998-1999 2000-2001 2002-2003 without interpretation (in parenthesis) (Actual) (Actual) (Actual) (Estimate) (Estimate) A. Headquarters 6 470 6 081 5 763 6 300 6 300 (1 539) 1 583 1 660 1 800 1 800 Subtotal A 8 009 7 664 7 423 8 100 8 100 Percentage of meetings without interpretation 19.21% 20.65% 22.36% 22.22% 22.22% B. UNOG (including extrabudgetary meetings) 5 482 4 954 4 586 4 850 4 850 (5 565) (6 928) (6 931) (6 000) (6 000) Subtotal B 11 047 11 882 11 517 10 850 10 850 Percentage of meetings without interpretation 50.37% 58.30% 60.18% 55.59% 55.29% C. UNOV 805 686 837 860 900 (1 130) (1 893) (2 147) (2 452) (2 952) Subtotal C 1 935 2 579 2 984 3 312 3 852 (% Meetings without interpretation) 58.39% 73.40% 71.95% 74.03% 76.63% Source: United Nations/Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM) (formerly DGAACS).

40. The above data confirm that despite latest information, reports are also often submitted resolution 50/11 and other pertinent resolutions of after the internal deadlines. An advance copy - the General Assembly calling for the respect of requested by Executive Board members - is thus language parity, meetings held at the usually available in English only. On rare United Nations without interpretation (customarily occasions, reports have not been available to the conducted in English at Headquarters, the Board in either official or working languages at the United Nations Office at Nairobi and the time they were considered, except in English. United Nations Office at Vienna, and in English or While deploring the situation, the Board French at the United Nations Office at Geneva) nonetheless decided to consider the relevant agenda remain important in percentage terms. items.

41. The secretariat of UNDP admitted that the lack 42. At ECLAC, for reasons of cost and because the of linguistic parity or equal treatment invariably Commission does not have French translators, meant that English was used at the expense of other documents are often not published in that language languages, both in official and unofficial situations, although it is one of the working languages and both in working languages and official alongside English and Spanish. At many meetings, languages. Reports to be considered by the only English/Spanish interpretation is provided. In Executive Board are submitted overwhelmingly in addition, for reasons of efficiency and expediency, English, sometimes from regions and countries some working or drafting groups at the ECLAC where the official language is one of the other Conference function in the one language (English official languages at the United Nations. Since it is or Spanish) and, according to the secretariat, this essential to provide the Executive Board with the has been understood and accepted by the member - 11 -

Governments (which include francophone initiated so as to achieve a truly balanced use of the countries such as , France, and ). At six working languages of the General Conference the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the and, at the same time, facilitate the use of the other ratio of informal meetings held only in English is official languages”. According to the Interpretation said to have increased since 1998 and is currently Section, owing to late submission of requests by between 70 to 75 per cent. Sectors and to limited in-house capacity, it is not always possible to retain the services of highly 43. For its part, the General Conference of qualified freelance interpreters at short notice. As a UNESCO approved in 1995 resolution 28/C on the result, there are meetings held without “Balance in the use of the six working languages of interpretation as detailed in table I.3 below which the General Conference, and use of the other gives a breakdown of such meetings by language official languages”. In that resolution, the in 1998-2000 and the position of each language Conference, “considering the importance of expressed as a percentage of the total number. languages as irreplaceable means of interpersonal While the figures for English and French have not communication and cultural experience”, expressed changed significantly, those for Spanish have fallen its “deep concern at the continuing imbalance in slightly and the figures for Chinese and Russian the use in UNESCO of the six working languages have dropped sharply. of the General Conference”. It invited the Director-General “to continue the efforts already

Table I.3: UNESCO: Breakdown by language of meetings held in 1998-2000 (Total number of meetings and percentages per language)

Year Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish 29 17 216 207 24 69 1998 (219) (13.24%) (7.76%) (98.63%) (94.52%) (10.96%) (31.51%) 16 12 231 215 18 63 1999*(235) (6.81%) (5.11%) (98.30%) (91.49%) (7.66%) (26.81%) 24 6 200 190 13 52 2000 (203) (11.82%) (2.96%) (98.52%) (93.6%) (6.4%) (25.62%) Source: UNESCO. * General Conference Year.

44. The fiftieth World Health Assembly approved 45. Following an in-depth “Review of FAO on 13 May 1997 a resolution on “Respect for ”10 undertaken in 1999, the FAO equality among the official languages”7 whereby it Council “unanimously reaffirmed the principle of stated that “the universality of the World Health equality of FAO languages as prescribed in General Organization is based, inter alia, on Rule XLVII and its importance in ensuring the multilingualism and on the respect for the parity widest possible access to FAO information and the and plurality of the official languages chosen by fullest participation of Member Nations in the work the Member States”.8 While regretting that the of FAO”.11 At the same time, and “while various official and working languages of the appreciating the efforts made to protect the Secretariat are used unequally within WHO, the application of this principle despite the resource Assembly requested the Director-General “to constraints experienced in the recent past, the ensure the strict application of the rules of the Council expressed concern at the clear signs of Organization which establish linguistic practice, imbalance in the use of all FAO languages”.12 both as regards the Organization’s relations with Continued efforts have been made thereafter to Member States and as regards the use of languages redress the situation. All sessions of the Governing within the Secretariat”.9

10 (PC 81/6-FC 92/13). “Review of FAO language 7 World Health Assembly resolution WHA50.32. policy”.

8 Ibid., preambular para. 1. 11 Ibid., para. 105.

9 Ibid., para. (1). 12 Ibid.

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Bodies (the Conference, the Council and its 47. The effective participation of some Member Committees) are held in the five FAO languages States in the legislative process may be affected but beyond such sessions, when determining the when meetings are held in one language only. language composition of a meeting, attention is There are, however, divergent views in that regard. given to the language requirements of its members, According to UNDP, there has been no discernable bearing in mind that the meeting or body concerned impact on the effective participation or contribution may take its own decisions concerning the of Member States when language services are not languages in which it will work. Four categories of provided at these meetings and this may be due to meetings are thus recognized in FAO for working the fact that pre-session meetings of the Board are purposes and the breakdown in 2000-2001 was as organized with full interpretation made available. follows: 130 meetings, including 14 in one On the contrary, FAO considers that the impact of language for category I (intergovernmental having meetings in one language - usually meetings); 30 meetings, including 15 monolingual English - is that countries have to send delegates for category II (technical sessions attended by with an adequate knowledge of that language. experts representing member nations); 80 meetings, Otherwise, those delegates may be placed at a including 66 in one language for category III disadvantage when discussing with representatives (meetings of committees and panels of experts of English-speaking countries or they may be selected by FAO in a personal capacity) inhibited in interventions because of an imperfect and 16 meetings, 15 of which were in one language command of the idiom. Furthermore, if the for category IV (seminars, training courses and background documents are not translated, this workshops). limits the choice of advisers and staff to be consulted in capital cities to define the position of 46. Because of its tripartite composition, ILO has non-English-speaking countries in respect of developed a multilingualism reflecting the needs of proposals presented in these papers. its constituents for services in the full range of the Organization’s working languages (English, French 48. Some have expressed the view that, for and Spanish) and its other official languages practical reasons and irrespective of their official (Arabic, Chinese, German and Russian). According language group, representatives of Member States to the secretariat, almost all material including themselves tend to use mostly English during internal communications is published at least in informal negotiations involving more than one English and French, with a large share also linguistic group. It is only when the agreed text is appearing in Spanish. Back in 1993, a proposal to submitted as a formal draft that it is translated into limit the volume of interpretation services provided the prescribed languages of the governing body into the other four languages was firmly rejected by concerned. They admit, however, that while the delegations concerned. At the same time, the proficiency in more than one language is often part organization has endeavoured to match of the requirements to be met by professionals of constituents’ needs with the most rational use of modern diplomacy, the current situation regarding resources: for instance, Arabic interpretation is the use of languages in several organizations needs provided at tripartite sectoral meetings when they to be further reviewed as it may contribute to are attended by at least three Arabic-speaking marginalize some linguistic groups and particularly countries and when such meetings include developing countries from these groups. At the delegates who use Arabic, Chinese, German or same time, they consider that a rational use of Russian, the reports prepared for discussion appear limited resources should ensure that, as in an abridged form/executive summary in those appropriate, due regard is taken of the actual needs languages, accompanied by full versions in of participants. English, French and Spanish.

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II. MULTILINGUALISM AND THE SECRETARIATS’ WORKING ENVIRONMENT

49. Part of the questionnaire sent to the secretariats knows one or more additional languages of the participating organizations was aimed at considered of use for the post in question will be obtaining responses to three categories of question preferred to other otherwise equally qualified concerning human resources management, the candidates. challenges involved in employing a multilingual workforce and the possible impact of staff’s 52. In many organizations, the factors that knowledge of languages on programme determine of which languages knowledge is implementation. required or considered an advantage seem to be the duty station and the characteristics of the post to be A. Human resources management filled. For example, United Nations vacancy announcements have described as an advantage (a) Knowledge of languages and career knowledge of Swahili for a post as deputy chief of development security at the Arusha International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, of Italian for a post as Linguistic requirements on recruitment director of the Rome Information Centre and of German or Japanese for a post as investment 50. A random selection of vacancy announcements officer with the Joint Staff Pension Fund in from a number of UN-system organizations . In the case of non-official languages, revealed the following range of language the criteria for deciding that a given language is requirements: (a) a single language required and required or an advantage are not always the same identified (the most common being English, throughout an organization. For example, followed by French and, to a lesser degree, knowledge of German was a requirement for a post Spanish); (b) same requirement as in (a), with as director of the Bonn Information Centre knowledge of a second official language (not (whereas knowledge of Italian was an advantage in always specified) or of the language of the host Rome) and, less understandably, for a secretarial country considered an advantage; (c) requirement post at UNOG. that the language in question (English, French, Russian or Spanish) be the applicant’s mother 53. Cases still arise in which only one language tongue; (d) a perfect command of one of the (obligatorily one of the working languages) is secretariat’s working languages (English, French or required; in the great majority of them, the Spanish, and less frequently Arabic or Russian) and language in question is English. Single-language a good knowledge of a second working language; requirements are, however, becoming an exception (e) perfect command of the secretariat’s two in organizations which have a strong field presence working languages (in most cases, English and and consider that, added to professional French; sometimes English and Spanish and qualifications, knowledge of two or even three or occasionally English and Arabic); and (f) command more languages makes for higher-quality work, as of any one of the organization’s official languages. the Charter of the United Nations requires for staff recruitment. In this connection, the 51. Generally speaking, vacancy announcements Director-General of FAO stated in the Programme refer to two categories of language: languages of Implementation Report for the biennium which a perfect command is expressly required (at 1998-199913 that 10 per cent of vacancy least one of which must be a working language of announcements during that period required one the secretariat) and languages of which knowledge language, 87 per cent two languages and 3 per cent constitutes an advantage (these may be other three languages. working or other official languages of the organization or non-official languages). Reference 54. The languages used in the Secretariats are used to a “requirement” implies by definition that in zones that extend far beyond their areas of origin applications from candidates who do not meet the and so, when there is a requirement that a particular language requirements will be rejected. Reference language be the candidate’s mother tongue, there is to an “advantage” implies that an applicant who 13 C 2001/8, FAO 1998-1999 Programme Implementation Report.

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a potential risk of discrimination between languages that are considered essential. WFP candidates if the concept of mother tongue is describes a basic knowledge of English as essential interpreted literally. It is not just that the concept in all circumstances, whereas UNFPA states that itself wrongly presupposes that mastery of a English is a de facto requirement for all language is only matrilineally derived, but also that Professional posts. On the other hand, while the its restrictive interpretation could lead to the ICAO Secretariat readily acknowledges that elimination of candidates who, by choice or English is the de facto working language, ICAO because of colonization, have had the language in vacancy announcements systematically require question as their principal language of education command of any one of the organization’s six without it having been their mother tongue. Rather official languages, with knowledge of another of than of the mother tongue, some organizations those languages considered desirable. While such speak more and more often of the principal a policy fully respects the principle of mandatory language of education. equality between all the organization’s official languages, it is open to question whether it is 55. Organizations such as UNESCO and UPU consistent with transparency and equality of include in all their vacancy announcements a opportunity for all candidates: might it not be the requirement for a very good knowledge of one of case that, other than in exceptional circumstances, a their secretariat’s two working languages (French candidate who knew several other official and English) as well as for a good knowledge of languages would be ruled out if he/she did not the other. Other organizations do this less know English? extensively, depending on the post to be filled. In the case of ILO, where the Secretariat’s working 57. Leaving aside language posts, each languages are English, French and Spanish, staff organization would gain from making its basic members whose mother tongue is one of the rules concerning language requirements in vacancy working languages have to have a perfect announcements more uniform and transparent. The command of a second working language and may communication requirements inherent in the be required to know a third such language, whereas functions of the vacant post should be the only staff members whose mother tongue is not one of deciding factors in choosing the languages to be the working languages may be required to know a mentioned in the vacancy announcement. There second working language. The question which should be no room for suspicion that other factors - working language it is most important for in particular, the working language in which the applicants to have depends on which of those appointee’s future supervisors are most at home or languages is used most in the post in question. In a job description tailored to a particular candidate - the case of UNESCO, however, there are two may have prevailed. exceptions to this basic rule: the only obligatory language for General Service technical staff 58. In point of fact, considerations of sound human recruited at the headquarters duty station is French resources management and improvement of service and the only obligatory language for should suffice to justify making knowledge of the locally-recruited non-headquarters staff is the host country’s language an obligatory requirement official language of the country of duty. In the case or an advantage, especially when that language is of Professional posts, the requirement for two one of the official languages of the organization working languages is sometimes waived when concerned. While policies of this kind are there is a good chance of being able to recruit vulnerable to the obstacles discussed in paragraphs candidates from unrepresented or underrepresented 66-68 below, they deserve strong encouragement countries. UPU reported that for some posts from legislative bodies because of the contribution involving work with its regions it adds to the they can make towards the goals of multilingualism above-mentioned basic requirement a requirement in general and of the organization’s activities in the for knowledge of the language most widely used in field in particular. the region in question (for example, Spanish in the case of Latin America and Russian in the case of Policy as regards posting of vacancy the CIS countries). announcements

56. English is unquestionably the language most 59. Depending on the type of post to be filled, often required, sometimes as the sole language and many organizations are increasingly disseminating sometimes as one of a group of two or more vacancy announcements not only by the traditional - 15 -

means (physical noticeboards, member States’ mother tongue other than English (French, Russian missions and sometimes the press) but also by or Spanish), were still (and will continue to be) in posting on their Intranet sites (for posts open to English alone. In addition, many of the internal candidates) and on the Internet (for posts announcements for posts in the Professional open to internal and external candidates). category and above were also in English, since no In addition, the International Civil translation into French was available. In some Service Commission (ICSC) issues both in print cases, the unavailability persisted until the time form and on its Internet site limit for applications had expired. (http://icsc.un.org/vab/index.htm) a monthly English-language vacancy announcement bulletin Career and promotion prospects containing the vacancy announcements communicated to the Commission by the 62. Knowledge of at least two languages is organizations applying the common system of generally an asset as regards staff members’ career salaries and allowances. and promotion prospects and mobility. The United Nations and the other common-system 60. The trend in more and more organizations is to organizations grant staff in the Professional allow candidates to apply online by filling in the category and above accelerated steps, increments appropriate form. Although this procedure has the being awarded at intervals of 10 months rather merit of shortening the recruitment process and, than 12 for ordinary steps and of 20 months rather technically speaking, the option of submitting an than 24 for long-service steps. For their first application by ordinary mail remains open, there is additional language, staff in the General Services undoubtedly a risk that both candidates without and related categories receive a pensionable Internet access and candidates who do not know language allowance equivalent to 5 per cent of the the language(s) used for the online display will be minimum salary at either grade G-5 or grade G-4, put at a disadvantage. FAO seems to be the only depending on the post; for their second additional organization that issues its vacancy announcements language, they receive half that allowance. in three languages (English, French and Spanish). A number of organizations, including the 63. WFP only gives staff in the Professional United Nations, UNESCO, WIPO and ILO, issue category and above indefinite contracts if they are their announcements in two languages. These are competent in two official languages; staff who are generally English and French, although ILO recruited knowing only one such language have announcements may also be in Spanish if the two years to reach the required level in another. In nature of the post so warrants. the case of UNFPA, staff seeking field posts have to meet the language requirements of the post and 61. In May 2002, with a view to partially monolingualism can have an adverse effect on automating the production of vacancy career prospects even though there are posts for announcements and the initial screening of which English is the only required language. At applications through the use of standardized UNESCO, perfect command or a good knowledge electronic forms, the United Nations began using a of both English and French is a condition for new system called Galaxy. In the report on recruitment, although in special cases a candidate’s multilingualism that he submitted to the technical skills may be considered more important General Assembly in 2001, the Secretary-General than whether he/she knows a . said that he hoped the new procedure would, inter alia, “yield ... a higher number of French-speaking 64. According to the secretariats, their staff members and allow greater weight to be given performance appraisal systems do not disadvantage to language skills in recruitment and promotion junior staff whose strongest working language is criteria”.14 When it opened, the Galaxy Internet not the same as their supervisor’s. These site (http://jobs.un.org) was only accessible in assurances notwithstanding, the inspectors learned English. A French version of the site was opened that there had been many cases in which, for fear of around mid-September 2002, but the vacancy a poor overall rating, staff had preferred to fill out announcements for all posts in the General Services the appraisal form in English when that was their and related categories, including posts requiring a superior’s only language. FAO drew attention to a dispute that had arisen between a staff member and 14 A/56/656, Multilingualism, para. 13. a supervisor because of what the staff member had

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felt was an unreasonable language requirement set training budget. Table II.1 shows for the by the supervisor. Mention was also made of United Nations the numbers of participants in supervisors’ delays in approving mission reports language classes and the corresponding written in working languages that they did not expenditures (periods 1998-1999 and 2000-2001, know. actual figures; 2002-2003, forecast figures). At the end of the training cycle, students’ knowledge of (b) Investment in language training the language they have been studying is tested by the language proficiency examinations, success in 65. Most United Nations-system organizations which opens the entitlement to the allowances offer their staff language-training opportunities; the mentioned in paragraph 58 above. It is the biennial cost to the regular budget varies according United Nations which organizes the examinations to the organization and the size of its staff. In some in the six official languages on behalf of all the organizations, language courses are free for the other common-system organizations. The results staff, but in others (for example, ILO, UNESCO, per session and per language are shown in ICAO and UPU) a small fee is charged. In ILO, table II.2. the language-training budget (for English, French and Spanish) accounts for 37 per cent of the total

Table II.1: Language training at the United Nations: numbers of participants (P) and related expenditures (E) (thousands of dollars)

Programme 1998-1999 2000-2001 2002-2003 (actual figures) (actual figures) (forecasts) P E P E P E

Arabic 736 213.7 800 204.5 650 202.3 Chinese 430 124.8 400 125.8 400 124.5 English 1 288 373.9 1 200 377.6 1 200 373.4 French 3 048 884.9 2 900 975.4 3 100 964.6 Russian 635 184.3 600 204.5 650 202.3 Spanish 1 941 563.5 1 800 629.2 2 000 622.3

Subtotal 8 078 2 345.1 7 700 2 517.0 8 000 2 489.4

Language Proficiency Examination 3 529 82.5 3 400 70.5 3 000 100.0 Grand total 11 607 2 427.6 11 100 2 587.5 11 000 2 589.41 (Source: United Nations Secretariat, Proposed Programme Budget 2002-2003. A/56/6 (Sect. 27C)).

Table II.2: Numbers of students taking a language proficiency examination*

Examination Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish Total session

February 1998 (47) 2 2 162 82 40 60 348 May 1998 (48) 6 1 247 95 39 48 436 January 1999 (49) 6 4 269 131 58 46 514 May 1999 (50) 9 1 357 122 61 70 620 January 2000 (51) 9 5 381 161 77 56 689 May 2000 15 2 426 149 79 56 727 (Source: United Nations, Department of Management, Staff Development Service.) * Aggregated figures for the common-system organizations.

66. The figures in table II.1 show that the (15.94 per cent and 15 per cent). FAO spends United Nations alone spends some $2.5 million per about 25 per cent of its total training budget on biennium on basic and advanced training for its improving staff members’ knowledge of a second staff in the Organization’s official languages. In or third language: actual spending for this purpose the periods 1998-1999 and 2002-2003, expenditure in the periods 1998-1999 and 2000-2001 amounted was highest on training in French (37.73 per cent to $437,000 and $648,000 respectively; the forecast and 38.75 per cent respectively), Spanish outlay for 2002-2003 is $630,000. While smaller, (24.02 per cent and 25 per cent) and English the amounts spent by other organizations also attest - 17 -

to a willingness to encourage the learning and rarely offered in any language other than English. mastery of languages by staff members. It would That is the case, for example, at the United Nations be useful to assess the impact of these efforts and Office at Geneva, where the explanation given for to know, for example, how many students drop out the situation is that there are too few applicants to of language courses and why they do so. The latter justify providing training in French. Furthermore, point is all the more important as the organizations there are, as things stand, no regular language that offer fee-paying courses feel that making refresher courses. Some organizations require staff courses free is no encouragement to students to to undergo a check of their linguistic knowledge at persist in their studies. five-yearly intervals, but that is the exception rather than the rule. 67. Table II.2, which covers all the common-system organizations, shows that the total (c) Absence of performance indicators number of persons sitting language proficiency examinations doubled between February 1998 and 69. FAO observes that the value of its multilingual May 2000 (from 348 to 727) and that at each work should not be judged solely from the number session there were more examinees in English than of meetings, publications or other activities in all the other languages put together. Of course, involving more than one language but also from the not all the examinees were secretariat staff content and quality of the work in question in each members or students in the language-training of the organization’s languages.16 The inspectors programme. Notwithstanding, if the general trend agree that it is only by using it that knowledge of a apparent from the table holds true for each language can be developed and preserved and they individual organization, the implication is that, therefore feel that it would be useful to design contrary to the stated objective of improving the performance indicators to measure the trends in the language balance within secretariats, the actual use of the languages taught or known in language-training programme is reinforcing the secretariats. That could be done as a contribution domination of English. If that is indeed the case, towards the compilation of an inventory of staff the return on the programme is far from members’ knowledge of languages for submission commensurate with the organizations’ financial to member States as part of the information investment, which includes the cost not only of the regularly provided to them on the composition of training proper but also of the incentives mentioned their secretariats or the management of human above. resources. United Nations General Assembly resolution 38/232 of 20 December 1983 requested 68. The International Civil Service Commission, the Secretary-General to report on the status of the in its report for the year 2000, recommended the linguistic skills of United Nations staff.17 That discontinuation of the current incentive schemes report evaluated the impact of the language because “they did not effectively promote the incentive programme and provided figures on the culture of multilingualism”.15 However, that numbers of Professional and higher-level staff who recommendation, which was rejected by the had attended language courses and passed the United Nations General Assembly, did not question language proficiency examinations. It would be the justification for language courses. According useful if that information was updated and if other to United Nations General Assembly organizations provided corresponding figures for resolution 2480 (XXIII) B, award of the language their staff. In that connection, UNIDO is now proficiency certificate attests “understanding of the building and putting into operation a staff skills’ written and the spoken language”. That having database that will include information on language been said, more concrete evidence that language skills. training makes a significant contribution towards a multilingual environment in the secretariats will not be forthcoming unless staff are enabled to apply the knowledge they have acquired. While courses to supplement the language training, 16 particularly drafting courses, are available, they are PC 81/6 FC 92/13, Review of FAO language policies (summary).

15 A/55/30, Report of the International Civil Service 17 A/C.5/39/6, Status of the linguistic skills of Commission, para. 55. United Nations staff.

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70. The United Nations plans, inter alia, to 72. While those two bulletins are officially still in encourage Secretariat officials appearing before force within the United Nations, they are, because intergovernmental or expert bodies for which of structural factors, as inadequately applied as interpretation services are provided “to use official ever. On the one hand, all staff members, languages other than English whenever possible”18 including those with supervisory functions, have a and the Organization’s General Assembly noted formal entitlement to use any working language, that first step with satisfaction in its but there is no corresponding obligation to have resolution 56/262 of 15 February 2002. Other even a rudimentary knowledge of a second metrics should be developed in order to ensure that working language or to take courses in it as a that is not the only performance indicator and that matter of priority. On the other hand, because they the best possible use is made of staff members’ state, for example, that “English or French” is claimed language skills. Staff should continue to required, the language requirements for posts do be encouraged to write reports for not always allow for the possibility that the intergovernmental bodies in the working language appointee may have to work in a team with they know best or to improve the multilingual colleagues who legitimately use a different content of their organizations’ Internet sites by working language. In the circumstances, it would contributing towards the posting on them of texts in not be surprising if hierarchical considerations and other official languages, and figures should be kept an understandable concern for career prospects to show the progress made in those regards. The have often prevailed over staff members’ desire to absence or the unclear presentation of such exercise their right to use “in all [their] official statistics can give the unjustified impression that communications” a language in which their the situation has not changed and so lead to colleagues or, in particular, their direct supervisor repeated requests for action in the resolutions of are not fluent. governing bodies. 73. The case of the United Nations is far from an B. The challenges involved in employing a isolated one. It reflects the situation in several of multilingual workforce the common-system organizations and is symptomatic of the difficulties inherent in the 71. In his bulletin ST/SGB/201 of 8 July 1983, the obligation to employ a multilingual workforce in a United Nations Secretary-General restated the rules context where the trend towards the predominance concerning the Organization’s working languages of English as the language of in-house and emphasized that “each staff member should be communication is strengthened by, inter alia, the free to use in his/her written communications either information and communication technology English or French, at his or her option” and that revolution. Consequently, there is a risk that the “no impediment is to be placed by anyone to this above two bulletins will continue not to be fully policy”, which was also to be applied to the other applied unless further measures are taken. working languages of three of the regional Management at Headquarters and in the other main economic commissions, namely Russian in the case duty stations is partly to blame for the bulletins’ of ECE, Spanish in the case of ECLAC and Arabic imperfect application, insofar as staff members do in the case of ESCWA. In another bulletin issued not all have equal access to research tools and two years later,19 the Secretary-General, noting that databases that would enable them to use the the policy referred to in bulletin ST/SGB/201 was language of their choice. not being fully applied, encouraged “those staff members throughout the Secretariat whose 74. In interviews with the inspectors, some staff principal language is French, or who prefer to work members expressed the view that the language in that language, to use French in all official imbalance in recruitment patterns, with preference communications”. being given to English-speaking candidates, was partly attributable to the language mix apparent among senior human resources managers. In the absence of firm evidence in that regard, the inspectors can only refer to United Nations

General Assembly resolution 2359 (XXII) of 18 A/56/656, para. 29. 19 December 1967, in which the Secretary-General 19 ST/SGB/212, 24 September 1985.

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was invited to take the necessary steps to ensure “a cooperation programmes involving the use of linguistic balance within the Secretariat and in English and Spanish. However, one of its member particular the presence of staff using the different States is a least developed country and a member working languages of the United Nations in the of la Francophonie and nothing proves that the services responsible for the recruitment of programmes of relevance to it are not affected by a Secretariat staff, at all levels”.20 shortage of language skills within the Organization.

75. Staff in supervisory positions are faced with a 77. UNFPA recognizes that it is desirable and real challenge. It is difficult to see how it can be boosts operational capacity if several languages are considered sound staff management to give junior known within each unit or division and says that all staff the right to use the Secretariat working relevant departments have the necessary language language of their choice while simultaneously skills. ESCWA is similarly of the opinion that accepting that their supervisors have an identical execution of its programmes is not hampered by right and therefore cannot be required to be questions of language skills, since all its regional competent in the same language. In a recent case advisers and project leaders are bilingual and fluent before the United Nations Administrative Tribunal in Arabic and English. UNIDO acknowledges that (UNAT),21 the applicant’s complaints included the technical cooperation projects in general, and those fact that, while he had requested that the to be submitted to multilateral funds such as the proceedings should be conducted in French, the Montreal Protocol, the United Nations Industrial documents that the Administration had submitted Development Fund or the Global Environment in the case were in English. In its judgement of 26 Facility in particular, are best submitted in English July 2002, the Tribunal, whose own working because that helps to keep down costs and expedite languages are English and French, stated that the processing of applications. The UNIDO ideally “only one working language should be used Secretariat acknowledges that this may cause in connection with a given case and all proceedings difficulty for countries from Francophone Africa or should be conducted in the language chosen by the from Latin America. applicant”, as is the practice in the ILO Administrative Tribunal. UNAT further opined 78. According to the United Nations Department that “not only would such an approach ensure of General Assembly Affairs and Conference better observance of applicants’ due process rights, Services, substantive departments sometimes ask it would also facilitate the work of the Tribunal, for entire reports to be translated into English when which would not be obliged to work in two the project officer concerned does not know the languages in the same case”. language in which the report was submitted. That can add needlessly to translators’ workload if only C. Language skills and programme parts of the report are directly relevant to the implementation project in question. Furthermore, the time required for translation has to be added to the time required 76. UPU reports that Professionals or staff for project implementation. The question merits responsible for sectoral activities and the further study, taking into account the views and implementation of technical assistance projects are experience of States and other beneficiaries and, required to be fluent in at least two languages, perhaps, focusing on programmes aimed at least which must include the language used in the region developed countries. in question. FAO offers a range of training modules for programme officers the level of whose knowledge of a relevant language may impede the implementation of their programme. ECLAC, for its part, says that the skills are available within the Commission for the implementation of technical

20 General Assembly resolution 2359 (XXII), part B, para. 3 (a).

21 Judgement No. 1072, case of Chuteaux v. the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

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III. MULTILINGUALISM TO BETTER SERVE MEMBER STATES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS

A. User satisfaction and other performance - “Notes with deep concern that some official indicators documents are not translated into all the official languages of the Organization;”24 79. In a results-based budget approach, the objective of language services could be as defined - “Reiterates its request to the by WIPO in its Program Performance Report for Secretary-General to ensure that translation, 2000,22 i.e. “To facilitate understanding among in principle, reflects the specificity of each Member States and with the Secretariat, and to language.”25 make information widely available, by translating publications, documents and other material into as 81. In an unprecedented move and in separate many languages as possible, with high quality letters sent in 2001 to the Secretary-General of the standards in the translation process, aiming for a United Nations, the Permanent Representatives of goal of zero defects.” To that end, the selected Member States from Spanish-speaking countries performance indicators in WIPO have been and those from the Group of Arab States expressed identified as being inter alia the satisfaction of the concerns of their respective language groups in delegates with the quality of translations, the timely relation to what they viewed as an unequal production of translations, the volume of treatment of Spanish and Arabic compared to translations produced and the output in translator English. Such concerns are also regularly aired by days. the member States of the International Organization of la Francophonie (IOF) and by 80. If the assessment of user satisfaction were to other non-English linguistic groups. However, an be based on the lack of specific complaints in analysis of the report of the Secretary-General on resolutions passed by governing bodies in relation the programme performance of the United Nations to multilingualism, one would have to conclude for the biennium 2000-200126 does not seem to that, by and large, member States in most reflect the dissatisfaction expressed by these organizations appear to be reasonably well served language groups. The difficulty may stem from the in terms of language services provided to them in fact that such complaints are better addressed when the framework of the legislative process. There they are more specific, particularly in an have been complaints on and off in some organization where situations may differ from organizations on specific issues but not on a headquarters to other main duty stations. recurring basis. The United Nations stands as the most prominent exception in that context. Under an 82. User satisfaction at the level of civil society is agenda item on “Pattern of Conferences” not always easy to assess, particularly when the considered each year by the General Assembly, resources required to make a reliable survey are not some concerns have been aired almost word for available. It should be recalled that in word in successive resolutions. In resolution February 2002, some 48 representatives of news 56/242 of 24 December 2001 for instance, the agencies accredited to the Geneva-based Assembly: organizations issued a petition complaining about what they viewed as a persistent downward trend in - “Expresses concern about the quality of the use of French in the communication and interpretation services provided to information outputs of United Nations system intergovernmental meetings, and requests the organizations in Geneva. The signatories were not Secretary-General to ensure the highest only representatives of French-speaking news standards of quality for interpretation agencies but included journalists from Chinese, services provided to those meetings;”23 Spanish and Japanese newspapers. They stressed in

24 Ibid. para. 7. 22 A/36/4, WIPO Program Performance Report for 2000. 25 Ibid. para. 15.

23 General Assembly resolution 56/242, part IV, 26 A/57/62, “Programme performance of the para. 12, of 24 December 2001. United Nations for the biennium 2000-2001”.

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particular that some organizations have made it a bodies to stick to normal meeting time, to manage rule to issue their press releases either in English their work programmes with discipline and first, with the French translation available a few foresight, and to conclude their work on time”.28 days later, or, even worse, such releases are in English only. They consider that a significant B. Interpretation and translation services number of Chinese, African, Arab and Eastern (language services) European journalists serving in Geneva are proficient in French but not in English and are thus (a) Resources vs. workloads penalized. 85. From their vantage point, all secretariats have 83. Participants to IAMLADP and JIAMCATT identified the inadequacy between workloads and meetings have often dealt with issues related to resources as the main constraint having a negative productivity and performance indicators in bearing on the provision of full multilingual language services but there appears to be no set of services. DGAACS indicated that, on a per capita agreed standards on a system-wide basis. In its basis, the volume of work for interpreters at the resolution 56/242, the General Assembly of the United Nations remains well within established United Nations decided to “conduct a standards and that further efforts towards comprehensive review of the current norms and improving the availability of interpretation services standards of productivity in the language services” and their cost-effectiveness should be based on and the Secretary-General was requested to submit higher predictability and scheduling of meetings. to the Assembly at its fifty-seventh session a As for translation, the Department pointed out that detailed report on the subject. That report has been the provision of full multilingual services implies issued27 and although it contains an annex on the existence of sufficient capacity in each of the productivity based on current workload standards, six translation services to handle all of the other no indication is given on how these compare with five official languages, thus involving 30 possible other organizations. language pairs. The limited number of translators, especially in the smaller services, the serious 84. While user satisfaction should be considered as shortage of translators who can work from certain an important indicator of performance, care should languages (in particular Arabic but also Russian, also be taken not to sidestep constraints which, Spanish and even French) and the high level of either recognized or not, have a bearing on actual vacancies in some services contribute to render performance well beyond the competence of staff problematic the coverage of all languages at all concerned. As underlined in the report referred to times. above, DGAACS, the former Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services 86. Following an inspection, the Office of Internal (now called the Department for General Assembly Oversight Services (OIOS) of the United Nations and Conference Management) may be contributing issued in February 2001 a report29 in which it itself unwittingly to the creation of problems expressed inter alia the view that “DGAACS has to affecting the performance of the Organization to examine the extent to which the practice of the extent that “As long as it continues to process stretching resources to the limit, particularly human documents no matter how late they are delivered resources, may be contributing to frustration on the and regardless of length, there is little incentive for part of staff. OIOS observes that the staff is author departments to submit documents on time currently fatigued as a result of working long hours and within defined page limits.” The report also and that this may impact negatively on the quality notes that “as long as meetings’ facilities are and timeliness of the services that the Department provided in excess of those originally programmed, provides to intergovernmental bodies and other there are few incentives for intergovernmental

28 Ibid. para. 7.

29 A/55/803, “Report of the Office of Internal Oversight 27 A/57/289, “Improving the performance of the Services on the inspection of the consolidation of Department of General Assembly Affairs and technical support services in the Department of Conference Services”. General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services”.

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client departments”.30 Although the staffing table crucial in view of an alarming rise in the number of of the DGAACS was reduced at the end of 1997 by poorly drafted original texts and the persistence of a total of 206 posts, 89 of which were from late submission of texts to the translation units. Headquarters, OIOS noted that “the Department’s Another factor is linked to the recourse to so-called continuing efforts to cope with the demand for relay translation. In DGAACS for instance, services within existing resources and to ensure the “Arabists” are found mainly among translators in overall functioning of the intergovernmental the English and French translation services which machinery are commendable”.31 In that connection bear therefore an added responsibility for providing and in commenting on the proposed 2002-2003 translation from Arabic into French or English programme budget concerning DGAACS, ACABQ which are then “relayed” by other translation also noted “that the demand for a variety of services when they have no or limited capacity to services is in excess of present capacity and handle that language. available resources, and this has resulted in some inefficiency and complaints from Member (b) Self-revision, outsourcing and quality States”.32 control

87. Mutatis mutandis, the above diagnosis is valid 89. At the United Nations, when self-revision was not only for the United Nations, but for many other endorsed by ACABQ and the General Assembly organizations of the United Nations system. At back in 1980, the consensus was that it should not meetings of IAMLADP and JIAMCATT, senior exceed 45 per cent. By the end of the 1990s, managers responsible for interpretation and self-revision averaged 48 to 70 per cent depending translation services have often lamented that every on duty stations and translation units. That day was an exercise in crisis management as they prompted the General Assembly to express in were confronted with the challenge of meeting resolution 52/214 of 22 December 1997 its “deep demands beyond those that could be delivered concern that the limits to self-revision have not within existing resources. The situation deserves to been kept at a level that would ensure a high be redressed by top management and governing quality of translation”. That concern was again bodies as maintaining the status quo in the expressed in resolutions passed in 199833 and workload-to-resources ratio cannot be conducive to 1999.34 In resolution 56/242 approved any significant improvement despite repeated calls on 24 December 2001, the Assembly reiterated “its to that effect. concern at the high rate of self-revision in the translation services, which exceeded the 88. Alternative courses of action have to take into benchmark” and requested the Secretary-General account the fact that translation is only part of the “to accord high priority to the post of reviser and to overall chain of document production and reduce reliance on self-revision to the maximum management involving many players and extent, and to take these considerations into encompassing three main stages: (a) drafting, account when filling vacancies in the translation editing and approval of the text in the original services”.35 language by author units; (b) translation, revision and related processes; and (c) printing and 90. During meetings of IAMLADP, some distribution within prescribed deadlines. While it is participants have stressed that self-revision meant not infrequent that those involved in the second no revision, along with its inherent risks in terms of stage are pointed at as being mostly responsible for related lack of quality control. However the extent delays and lack of quality, experience tends to to which self-revision should be used is a matter of indicate, however, that the first stage is becoming debate. Upon inquiry, some organizations said that

30 Ibid. para. 55. 33 General Assembly resolution 53/208, part B, para. 25 of 18 December 1998. 31 Ibid. para. 17. 34 General Assembly resolution 54/248, part D, para. 8 32 A/56/7, “Advisory Committee on Administrative and of 23 December 1999. Budgetary Questions: first report on the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2002-2003”, 35 General Assembly resolution 56/242, part IV, para. I.41. para. 6 of 24 December 2001.

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they have no benchmarks limiting self-revision. In or other urgent documents. DGAACS estimates FAO for instance, due to financial and human that during the 1998-1999 biennium, approximately resource limitation, 100 per cent of documents 15.7 per cent of the total translation output at translated by staff translators are self-revised, Headquarters, UNOG, UNON and UNOV except for the work done by junior staff. WFP even combined were outsourced. The Department advocates the use of self-revision, considered as a cautioned, however, that while outsourcing may process which does not necessarily entail any appear to be the cheapest way of having difficulties in maintaining quality translation, translations done, substantial hidden costs that are taking into account the fact that professional not reflected in the rates paid to contractors must be translators who take pride in their work normally taken into account. ensure that the translations produced are of maximum quality. Self-revision is also strongly 93. ILO indicated that the outsourcing ratio is high encouraged in IMF where it is now more the rule for interpretation, with four staff interpreters than the exception, with no benchmark being set working 50 per cent in interpretation and and no adverse impact on quality being reported. 50 per cent in translation, whereas some 300 freelance interpreters are required to service the 91. While recognizing that self-revision is used as International Labour Conference alone. As for much as possible and that the heavier the workload, translation, in order to cope with increasing the more extensive the use of self-revision, IMO workloads, ILO relies heavily on external admitted nonetheless that in an ideal world, the collaborators who accounted for 26.5 per cent of all number of documents undergoing revision would pages translated by the translation department. In be higher and the impact on quality would be UNESCO the number of pages outsourced for positive, particularly regarding outsourced translation during 1999 (a General Conference translations. With only one English translator post year) ran from less than 2 per cent for Chinese and in ESCWA, self-revision is a must for that Arabic up to 30.53 per cent for French and language, but efforts are made to limit its use for 35.11 per cent for English. Corresponding figures Arabic to a minimum depending on exigencies. in FAO for the biennium 2000-2001 ran from Most of the translators contracted to work on 21 per cent for Chinese up to 69 per cent for UNDP publications are self-revising, but in order Spanish. In other organizations, outsourcing ratios to limit any possible negative effects, only in translation vary on average from about experienced translator/revisers familiar with UNDP 25 per cent in ICAO to 40 per cent in ECLAC, terminology in their language of expertise are 75 per cent in WFP and close to 100 per cent for recruited, and, when necessary, recourse is made to UNDP publications. In most cases outsourcing is independent revisers. said to reinforce regular staff but could only be used for long jobs with flexible deadlines. Its 92. Considering that the provision of language advantages are less evident for the translation of services was a permanent function, secretariats documents prepared for governing body meetings were asked whether it was satisfactorily established as such documents require a higher standard of that outsourcing was more cost-effective than quality and therefore more thorough revision. reinforcing the core linguistic staff resources and to what extent outsourcing had implications on the 94. In IAEA, interpretation used to be handled workloads of regular staff in charge of monitoring. in-house but it is now outsourced to UNOV. The At the United Nations, outsourcing of translations secretariat indicated that this has resulted in a is used in a limited number of circumstances such lowering of quality because the interpreters now as: (a) an “overflow valve” allowing the in-house have less opportunities for familiarizing themselves translation services to divert to outside contractors properly with the very specific terminology used in work that they cannot handle within established the Organization. In addition, issues of deadlines; (b) an inescapable necessity for handling confidentiality have also created some constraints languages for which there is no or limited in-house for highly sensitive meetings. As for translations, capacity; and (c) an arrangement considered as the while most of the work is done in-house, most efficient for processing publications which outsourcing accounts for some 7 to 10 per cent are often lengthy, have long deadlines and would because of drastic cuts in the translation services otherwise tie up for long periods considerable and the results are said to be negative on the whole. in-house capacity needed to handle parliamentary

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The view is therefore that reinforcing core per internally translated page (US$ 195 vs. US$ linguistic staff resources is a more viable option 223) if all support cost factors are included. When than increasing the level of outsourcing if a such support costs are unaccounted for or uniform level of quality is to be achieved and if underestimated, outsourcing appears indeed as a deadlines have to be met. very attractive proposition from a budgetary perspective. 95. About 45 per cent of the translations handled by the Language Services of IMF in 2001 were 97. Although it is generally estimated that outsourced and some Divisions outsourced a much outsourcing may add to the workloads of regular higher percentage of their workload, owing in part staff in charge of monitoring, there appears to be to the rarity of the expertise in the languages no established indicators in that regard, except in concerned, but largely because of demand in excess WHO where the review of the translation chain of in-house capacity. To guarantee the services of referred to above concluded, inter alia, that an issue freelance translators who are highly experienced in to be addressed was the surprisingly high amount handling the Fund’s materials, IMF has the option of permanent translators’ time used to support and to offer them a retainer contract whereby the revise the work of external translators. The retainees are paid a monthly remuneration in consultant accordingly recommended the definition exchange for a given number of words to be and enforcement of quality standards, along with a translated each month up to an annual total. If they policy of paying higher rates for top performing reach the total before the end of the year, they are external translators. paid on a case-by-case basis for extra work they undertake on a voluntary basis. 98. In other words, timeliness and quality control should be the determining factors in opting for 96. Potential “savings” derived from outsourcing self-revision and outsourcing. In that regard, ILO is are difficult to assess. In a Working Paper prepared considering introducing a system whereby each for the thirty-third session of the ICAO Assembly, document would be tagged to determine whether it it was estimated that outsourcing in translation in has to be (a) self-revised with minimal downstream the previous triennia resulted in savings of US$ 3 quality verification; (b) translated and revised with million by not recruiting regular staff, thus minimal further quality checks; or (c) translated, avoiding cost of recruitment, pension, medical revised and corrected. Criteria and full working insurance, home leave, education grant and related mechanisms are still in development and in due travel.36 Savings of such magnitude may need to course, the experience gained may be worth be checked against possible hidden costs as sharing with other system agencies. cautioned by DGAACS. In that connection, a management consulting firm made a review of the (c) Recruiting and retaining qualified translation chain at WHO’s headquarters in 1997 language staff and found out that the cost per internally translated page averaged US$ 223, ranging from US$ 202 for 99. In a report to the fifty-sixth session of the English, US$ 204 for Spanish, US$ 212 for French, General Assembly37 the Secretary-General of the US$ 238 for Arabic, US$ 271 for Russian and United Nations made an analysis of the vacancy US$ 336 for Chinese. In comparison, the average rate situation in language services at all duty cost per externally translated page was US$ 195 stations which showed that despite an overall but from that amount, US$ 54 actually went to the improvement, vacancy rates remained excessive at external translator, US$ 89 were salary for support some duty stations. Many factors contribute to this and revision by permanent translators and US$ 52 situation, including a downward trend in the yield represented WHO overhead and other management of language examinations especially for some costs. Those figures would tend to suggest that in languages or language combinations and an WHO the cost of an externally translated page is apparently growing number of successful about 14.35 per cent lower than the average cost candidates declining an initial offer of appointment

36 ICAO Assembly 33rd Session, A33-WP/50, “Report 37 A/56/277, “Excessive vacancy rates in language of the Council on Implementation of Assembly services at some duty stations and issues relating to the Resolution on A32-1” concerning increasing the recruitment of language staff: report of the effectiveness of ICAO. Secretary-General”.

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or no longer interested in working for the that the change in the job description of posts from Organization. Although the capacity shortfall “Interpreter” to “Interpreter/translator” has made it resulting from high vacancy rates is usually offset more difficult to attract highly qualified candidates by the recruitment of short-term staff against since FAO is the only organization still requiring vacant posts or through outsourcing in the case of two active languages from these language staff. translators, some duty stations continue to be hard-pressed to deliver in quantity and quality the (d) Use of new technologies full set of multilingual services expected from them by their stakeholders. With most freelance 102. New technologies such as voice recognition, translators being former staff members, the remote interpretation, remote translation, and situation is partly compounded by the current automatic and computer-assisted translation requirement imposing a ceiling of US$ 40,000 to software can provide opportunities for improving United Nations earnings by retirees of the the working conditions and the productivity of Organization (the ceiling, established by General those involved in language services. The current Assembly resolution 51/408 of 4 November 1996, state of technology for some of these tools may not has remained unchanged since then but may be allow their immediate use in some organizations, reviewed by the Assembly at its fifty-seventh but the potential is there and it is promising. session). However, it is important to distinguish between tools which aim to replace the human being and 100. Organizations facing high vacancy rates for those which assist him/her in the delivery of language posts should be aware that globalization expected outputs. Although the advantages of using and the explosive development of Internet have new tools are recognized by most professionals in contributed to a tremendous increase in the demand the secretariats, it should be stressed that the for translation to satisfy the needs of the private acquisition of such tools entails more than a sector as well as those of intergovernmental one-time investment for buying the required organizations and some national governments. For software. Besides the initial investment, training instance, in Canada where the Government has for the users and readiness to commit funds for committed itself to become by 2005 the most upgrades should be part of an overall strategy and electronically-connected Government in the world in that connection the process should be through an initiative known as GOL (Government user-driven and not imposed from the top. On-Line), it is estimated that about 1,000 new qualified translators are needed per year whereas C. Provision of documents in different training institutions provide only 300 per year. languages With a growing market for translation estimated worldwide by industry sources to be moving (a) Applicable rules and related issues from US$ 10.4 billion in 1998 to US$ 17.3 billion by 2003, it is obvious that the issue for 103. Most organizations have rules concerning the United Nations system organizations is to ensure provision of parliamentary documents in the that they will continue to attract, recruit and retain languages used by their governing bodies. In enough qualified professionals in a very general those rules prescribe simultaneous competitive environment. distribution in the applicable language versions within a pre-set deadline before the beginning of 101. Salary conditions are considered as still the meeting concerned. In addition, there are some attractive. Despite that, some organizations could cases where simultaneous posting in the different face further difficulties in recruiting and language versions is also required. On that basis, maintaining language staff - and in particular those secretariats have devised their own internal with the skills most in demand - if there continues guidelines for the management of the to be a sense that working conditions are not documentation process. For instance, in the adequately addressed and that Member States are United Nations where documents should be made not satisfied whatever the efforts made by available in all language versions 6 weeks before secretariats. FAO indicated that working conditions meetings, this has resulted in the 10 week-4 week-6 may be responsible for the fact that three week formula, meaning that texts from author translators or revisers have left the Organization in departments have to be submitted at least 10 weeks the past three years to join other organizations or before the start of the meeting so that translations start a freelance career. In addition, it would seem and reproduction are completed within 4 weeks in - 26 -

order to abide by the 6 week rule for distribution. A pages limits to 10 pages for non-financial policy similar pattern is followed in other organizations documents, 5 pages for support papers, 4 to 6 pages depending on the deadline for distribution. For for country outlines, and a maximum of 25 pages several reasons it has not always been possible to for the results-oriented annual reports. abide by those rules and many complaints from Member States relate to either delays in distribution 106. It is estimated that in 2001, delegations at the or non-respect of simultaneous distribution in all United Nations received an average set of 30 language versions. The deadlines themselves may documents or 350 pages per working day, totalling need to be shortened on the basis of experience in 87,500 pages. For the fifty-sixth session of the scheduling meetings as well as the fact that posting General Assembly alone, some 451 reports were of documents on the Internet makes them available submitted, out of which 71 per cent were submitted at the same time to all users including capital cities after the six-week deadline of 3 July 2001. The to which hard copies needed to be shipped. Secretary-General has therefore drawn the attention of the General Assembly to the fact that the chronic (b) Efforts to reduce documentation documentation problem has worsened to the point where “the Organization is in danger of being 104. The volume of documentation has a direct overwhelmed by a flood of documents.”39 bearing on the workload of translation services and on their capacity to contribute to strict adherence to 107. For documents originating from Member rules governing the simultaneous distribution of States, the situation is rather mixed. In documents in all prescribed languages within the resolution 52/214 of 22 December 1997 the approved deadlines. In most organizations, General Assembly took note of a report of the documents originate both from secretariats (either Secretary-General on the control and limitation of at their own initiative or upon request from documentation40 and invited “all intergovernmental Member States) and from Member States. bodies to consider, where appropriate, the System-wide, commendable efforts have been possibility of reducing the length of their reports made by the secretariats to reduce the page limits from the desired limit of 32 pages to 20 pages over of internally generated documents. For instance, a period of time without adversely affecting either the Secretary-General of the United Nations the quality of presentation or the content of the decided in 1997 that, as a rule, such documents reports”.41 On the other hand, the Assembly should be no longer than 16 pages instead of the requested the Secretary-General in resolution previous limit of 24 pages. The limit is usually 56/242 “to ensure that the Secretariat undertakes to much lower in the specialized agencies. translate all United Nations documents into all the other official languages of the Organization 105. In a report submitted to the second regular simultaneously, including documents for which session of the UNDP and UNFPA Executive Board circulation is requested under agenda items of the in September 2001, it was emphasized that the total principal deliberative bodies of the United Nations, volume of documentation submitted to the Board in regardless of their length”.42 2001 (estimated at some 3,000 pages) “creates a workload for the language services that is quite 108. In resolution CA 12/1999, the Council of simply beyond the capacity of the Organization” UPU noted efforts made by the International and that this situation “often results in serious Bureau in reducing the volume and cost of delays that are in violation of General Assembly documentation and recognized that Member States legislation”, thus impeding “the full and efficient should make similar efforts in that regard. The functioning of the Board”.38 The Board therefore Council decided, inter alia, that (a) documents endorsed the remedial measures proposed by the originating from Member States should be brief Administrator of UNDP and the Executive Director of UNFPA. Those measures included setting a 39 target to reduce the overall volume of A/57/289, para. 49. documentation in 2002 by 50 per cent by fixing 40 A/52/291.

38 DP/2001/CRP.17 DP/FPA/2001/CRP.2, 41 General Assembly resolution 52/214, part B, para. 7. “Rationalization of documentation and streamlining of working methods of the Executive Board”, para. 3. 42 General Assembly resolution 56/242, part IV, para. 8.

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and not exceed one page, except for long aims and activities of the United Nations, in documents which should not be more than four accordance with the principles and purposes pages; and (b) the deadline for submitting enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations”.44 documents for translation was 15 days before the beginning of the session. Any document received 111. The executive heads themselves had taken after that deadline would not be translated but the initiative, in the framework of the former would be distributed in its original language Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), version as a “late document”, unless the to approve back in April 1997 an ACC statement Director-General decided otherwise. on universal access to basic communication and information services. In that statement, they 109. There is no doubt that the overall volume of recognize inter alia that more than ever, knowledge documentation is part of the problem and part of is power and that “Information about what is the solution in ensuring strict adherence by occurring becomes a central commodity of secretariats to rules governing the equitable international relations, and determines the treatment of all languages as far as the legislative efficiency and effectiveness of any intervention, process is concerned. In this context, reduction in which is a particular challenge for multilateral the volume of documentation as well as making actors.”45 They expressed their deep concern at the papers more concise and focused could be increasingly inadequate distribution of access, established as important goals to be reached, in resources and opportunities in the information and particular through extensive training in effective communication field and stressed that “The writing and drafting skills for authors of governing information and technology gap and related body documents. As appropriate, Member States inequities between industrialized and developing may wish to review how they can supplement nations are widening, so that a new type of poverty, efforts by secretariats in that regard. information poverty, is being created.”46

D. Outreaching “We the peoples of the 112. More than ever, the McLuhan vision of a United Nations” global village where “medium is the message” is given added relevance when the web sites of 110. In a report to the twentieth session of the well-known broadcasting institutions such as the Committee on Information, the Secretary-General (http://www.voa.gov), the BBC of the United Nations stressed that “The overall (http://www.bbc.co.uk) or Radio France objective of the communications and information Internationale (http://www.rfi.fr) provide access to function is to inform the public about the work of information online in multiple languages besides the United Nations in order to help build their radio and TV broadcasts which are in a wide broad-based global support for the Organization. range of languages covering all continents. Similar This support will depend on how effectively the to its better known counterparts, the Australian Organization is perceived to deal with the national radio service offers from its web site challenges it faces.”43 This statement could be (http://www.sbs.com.au) access to radio broadcasts applied to any other organization of the in some 68 languages and it is mandated by its United Nations system. In that connection, the charter to “provide multilingual and multicultural General Assembly concurred with the view of the radio and television services that inform, educate Secretary-General “that public information and and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, communications should be placed at the heart of reflect ’s multicultural society”. For its the strategic management of the United Nations, and that a culture of communications should permeate all levels of the Organization, as a means of fully informing the peoples of the world of the 44 General Assembly resolution 56/64, part B, preambular para. 2 of 24 December 2001.

45 A/52/354, “Statement of the Administrative Committee on Coordination on Universal access to basic 43 A/AC.198/1998/2, “Implementation of the measures communication and information services”, para. 3. regarding information and communications”, para. 5. 46 Ibid, para. 5.

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part, IOF has a French web site languages and in Portuguese are digitized in Real (http://www.francophonie.org) with access to Media and MP3 format and made available for language versions in Arabic, English, Portuguese Internet streaming, downloading and distribution to and Spanish. partner stations.

113. The usual delineation between North and 115. Television is another medium which is being South or industrialized and developing nations is exploited to communicate with people, particularly not the only dividing line between info-rich and where literacy levels may be low. For this reason, info-poor as language itself has become the “open all video documentaries and UN in Action segments Sesame” without which no access to the riches of produced by DPI are available in the six official the is possible. Despite efforts languages. New distribution partnerships are being made and relative progress in improving the arranged for the wider distribution of such multilingual content of information they provide to products, including arrangements for their “We the peoples of the United Nations”, many adaptation in local languages. system organizations may themselves be contributing to widening the gap between the 116. Indeed, new technologies are revolutionizing fortunate few who have unrestricted access to radio as well as television and United Nations information and the large majority of those left in system organizations should progressively take poverty. While rules governing the use of advantage of these added opportunities. According languages for the dissemination of information are to a report on the “State of the Internet 2000”,48 the less stringent than those related to documentation number of radio stations broadcasting on the for legislative bodies, any sound communication Internet has increased more than 56 per cent and policy should be based on the need to better although television on the Internet known as outreach targeted audiences in the most “streaming video” is developing at a slower pace cost-effective manner. because mainly of the size of the files involved, industry sources predict that watching television or (a) Traditional media a movie from a PC will become much easier with the improvement of current technology and the 114. Radio, television and publications were proliferation of high-speed broadband access. In traditionally the most visible media for the case of United Nations Radio, anyone with a dissemination of information. United Nations PC and Internet access can listen to the Radio is well known throughout the world and the United Nations daily news in the six official General Assembly, in its resolution 54/82 of languages and Portuguese. A number of other 6 December 1999, stressed that “radio is one of the United Nations magazine and feature programmes most cost-effective and far reaching media are also posted on the Internet in seven languages available to the Department of Public Information at http://www.un.org/av/radio. and an important instrument in United Nations activities, such as development and 117. Concerning United Nations publications, ”.47 One of the best examples of how ACABQ noted the Secretariat’s intention to resume radio can be used to foster multilingualism and its policy of issuing publications in all official disseminate information is the pilot project languages subject to author departments and the launched by the United Nations Department of Publications Board deciding on what to publish and Public Information (DPI) during the Millennium in which languages. While trusting that “such Summit when a 15-minute live daily programme decisions will be fully responsive to the language was aired by the United Nations in all six official needs of targeted audiences so as to achieve the languages. In addition to the six official languages, most effective means of disseminating the various United Nations Radio continues to produce news publications”,49 the Advisory Committee expressed and features programmes in nine non-official the opinion that “there is little evidence in the languages (Bangla, Dutch, French/Creole, Hindi,

Indonesian, Kiswahili, Portuguese, Turkish and 48 Urdu). The programmes in the six official State of the Internet 2000. Prepared by the United States Internet Council and International Technology and Trade Associates Inc. (ITTA). 47 General Assembly resolution 54/82, “Questions relating to information”, part B, para. 29. 49 A/56/7 para. 70.

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proposed programme budget that the publications publication in French which remained in English programme receives rigorous examination by the could have been downloaded in French from the intergovernmental machinery”50 and it requested web site of the Canada Customs and Revenue that information be provided in the proposed Agency (http://www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca). Similar programme budget for 2004-2005 on which publications related to the schemes of languages each publication will be issued. Better and the EU. In both cases the legislation concerned scrutiny from governing bodies on languages in is available from these sources in the relevant which publications are made available should official languages. contribute to enhancing their own understanding of the challenge faced by secretariats. Some (b) Continued multilingual development organizations already provide information on of web sites languages of planned publications and as appropriate, all executive heads should do the 120. Internet offers United Nations system same. organizations an unprecedented tool to outreach targeted groups in languages well 118. The DPI network of information centres and beyond the recognized few that have an official services worldwide as well as information status. A systematic survey of their web sites components of field offices produce original print has shown that, overall, and except for products in local languages. In addition, they often the main web sites of the United Nations translate and adapt the promotional print (http://www.un.org), FAO (http://www.fao.org), information materials produced at Headquarters UNESCO (http://www.unesco.org) and WIPO (such as press kits, fact sheets, feature articles, (http://www.wipo.int) which are in all their background press releases, posters, brochures and respective languages, the web sites of other booklets) for use by local audiences in the organizations have a limited number of languages. countries they serve. During the period from 1 The combinations mostly found are English, September 2001 to 31 August 2002, these field French and Spanish while Arabic, Chinese and offices produced publications in 36 languages Russian are much less covered and there are still including the 6 official languages of the many cases where multilingualism, when it exists, Organization. is mostly visible only on the home page, as titles in languages other than English actually link to 119. Feedback from end-users may also contribute information available only in English. to avoiding some practices which raise serious doubts on whether their needs have been taken 121. In that connection the quarterly reports on enough into account. As part of a series of global Internet statistics by language issued by a publications aimed at assisting exporters, producers reputable marketing communications consultancy and government officials to utilize the trade may be of interest as they have been providing data opportunities available under various schemes of on English and non-English online populations the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), the since 1995. Their main finding is that the United Nations Conference on Trade and non-English online population is growing much Development (UNCTAD) has recently published a faster than expected. While in September 2000, the “Handbook on the scheme of Canada”.51 The online English population was 51 per cent, it Handbook was issued in English, French, Spanish, dropped to 47.5 per cent by March 2001, Arabic and Russian, but out of a total of some 43 per cent by September 2001 and 36.5 per cent 110 pages of the original English text, only the first by September 2002. 15 pages of introductory notes were translated while all the annexes containing Canadian legislation were left in English in all language versions. Although lack of resources may have played a role, that claim is particularly irrelevant for the French version as most parts of the

50 Ibid., para. 71.

51 UNCTAD/ITCD/TSB/Misc.66.

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Table III.1: Online Language Populations (Total populations in millions and percentages per language thereof) Language March 2001 Sept. 2001 March 2002 Sept. 2002 (391 million) (505 million) (561 million) (619 million) English* 47.5 43 40.2 36.5 Chinese* 9.0 9.2 9.8 10.9 Japanese 8.6 9.2 9.2 9.7 Spanish* 4.5 6.7 7.2 7.2 German 6.1 6.7 6.8 6.7 Korean 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.5 Italian 3.1 3.8 3.6 3.8 French* 3.7 3.3 3.9 3.5 Portuguese 2.5 2.5 2.6 3.0 Russian* 2.1 1.8 2.0 2.9 Dutch 2.1 2.2 2.1 2.0 Arabic* 0.6 0.9 0.8 0.9 Combined six United Nations official languages (*) 67.4% 64.9% 63.9% 61.9% Source: Global Internet Statistics (by Language), http://global-reach.biz/globstats/.

122. For the six official languages of the capacity to handle additional workloads unless United Nations and assuming that all six more adequate resources are provided for that languages are fully covered on the purpose. United Nations web sites, those figures suggest that the total online population being outreached E. Interaction with the business is on a downward trend, going from community 67.4 per cent in March 2001 to 61.9 per cent in September 2002. This is due to other languages 124. In its resolution 55/247 on procurement becoming more present on the web. Secretariats reform the General Assembly of the cannot ignore those trends if the objective of United Nations stressed the need for the “fully informing the peoples of the world” procurement process “to reflect fully the continues to be relevant for their organizations. international character of the Organization”52 In particular those organizations still maintaining and reaffirmed “the need for the web sites in one language need to review their Secretary-General to continue to explore ways to communications and information policies, unless increase procurement opportunities for vendors their governing bodies decide that the status quo from developing countries and countries with should be maintained. economies in transition”.53

123. Another important policy issue that may 125. According to the “General Business need to be addressed is whether language Guide”, a publication by the Inter-Agency services should be involved in the translation (or Procurement Services Office (IAPSO), “The quality control of translation) of documents total volume procured by the United Nations posted on web sites maintained by the different system in 2000 was over US$ 3.7 billion, out of departments or units of each organization. IMF which about 37 per cent were professional appears to be among the very few to enforce a services (subcontracts), the rest being goods. policy whereby all web pages posted on the web UNDP accounts for about US$ 585 million of including those translated from the original the total. Adding the inputs by recipient English texts are checked for quality control by governments in terms of loans from international the language services. The 2002 JIAMCATT lending institutions, the estimated value of meeting held in Geneva concluded that this business opportunities emanating from the should be considered as best practice and should United Nations system and the Development be generalized. While such quality control is Banks exceeds US$ 30 billion annually.” very useful in preserving the corporate image of IAPSO also points out on its web site that each organization and in avoiding in particular potential errors in terminology, its implications 52 for translation units may be well beyond their General Assembly resolution 55/247, para. 3.

53 Ibid., para. 6.

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although procurement rules and procedures may vary from one organization to another, “the one most significant common denominator for the United Nations system is that it operates with public funds, requiring that equal opportunity to participate be given to potential suppliers from all member countries” (http://www.iapso.org/news/).

126. By and large, most web sites dedicated to procurement are in English only.

Besides individual organizations web sites, five have an inter-agency mandate or ambition. In addition to IAPSO already referred to above, they include the web sites of the United Nations

Office for Project Services (UNOPS) (http://www.unops.org), the United Nations Common Supply Database (http://www.uncsd.org/), the United Nations Development Business

(http://www.devbusiness.com/) and Doing Business with the United Nations System of Organizations (http://unbiz.un.int), all of which are accessible in English only so far. Equal opportunity for businesses competing for the very lucrative source of procurement represented by United Nations system organizations should entail equal opportunity in getting access to information on contracts and tenders as they become available including when made available online. In addition and as required, secretariats should ensure that basic documents such as procurement guidelines, registration forms and other relevant information about their procurement process is made available online in more than one language. Fees and other revenues from procurement could be considered as a source of funding for that purpose.

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IV. MEMBER STATES AND SECRETARIATS SHARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS

A. The issue of resources is provided.”57 The Committee further recalled its view stated in its report on results-based budgeting (a) The impact of budgetary constraints whereby it felt that “for programme managers to achieve expected accomplishments, budgetary 127. Almost all organizations have faced budget levels must be commensurate with the level of constraints in recent years that have affected most approved programmes” and that “a tendency to programmes across the board. It should be recalled, utilize the phrase ‘within existing resources’ in however, that the General Assembly had expressed legislation may lead programme managers to long ago in 1987 its conviction that “in view of the experience difficulties in achieving expected importance consistently attached by Member States accomplishments”.58 The views expressed by to the respect for equal treatment of official ACABQ are valid not only in the context of the languages of United Nations bodies, the provision United Nations but they apply to most other system of adequate conference services is an essential organizations as well. element in the efficient functioning of the Organization”.54 Consequently, the Assembly had 129. Complaints from Member States are affirmed that “in order to ensure the provision of sometimes a reflection of governing bodies not adequate conference services to the United Nations, exercising a more, rigorous scrutiny of proposals the allocation of resources to those services should by secretariats. Whereas in their letter mentioned in be sufficient to meet their requirements”.55 In paragraph 78 above the Representatives of resolution 50/11 on multilingualism, the Assembly Spanish-speaking Member States noted with regret stressed not only “the need to ensure, in particular the trend to favour the use of one language “in the through the training and recruitment of specialists, drafting and circulation of major publications”59 to that the necessary resources are available to the detriment of other official languages including guarantee the proper and timely translation of Spanish, the Secretary-General of the documents into the different official languages of United Nations pointed out that “the creation in six the United Nations” but also “the importance of languages of public information and other materials ensuring the availability of publications and that have hitherto been budgeted and staffed for adequate databanks in the different official production in one or two languages, whether in languages in the libraries and documentation print or on the web, is more problematic”.60 He centres of the various bodies”.56 In the same spirit, added that “The full availability of these outputs in adequacy of resources should also be addressed all official languages would require an infusion of with respect to information material, including substantial additional resources and/or a substantial Internet sites and audio-visual products, so that reduction in other mandates of the Secretariat, these may be available in the six official languages, neither of which the General Assembly has as appropriate, in order to inform the public about authorized.”61 the work and aims of the United Nations.

128. Concerning the United Nations, ACABQ noted that “It is thus for the General Assembly to 57 A/56/7, “Advisory Committee on Administrative and decide on the level and quality of conference Budgetary Questions: first report on the proposed services it expects, but it must do so in the programme budget for the biennium 2002-2003”, knowledge that there may be reductions in both the para. I.50. level and quality of service unless adequate funding 58 A/55/543, “Results-based budgeting: report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary 54 General Assembly resolution 42/207, Pattern of Questions”, para. 18. conferences, part C of 11 December 1987. 59 A/56/93. 55 Ibid. 60 A/56/176. 56 General Assembly resolution 50/11, para. 5 and 8 of 2 November 1995. 61 Ibid.

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130. FAO stands as one of the rare cases where (b) Need for a realistic assessment of the membership has officially admitted that budget resource requirements constraints had a negative impact on the provision of language services and acted accordingly. The 132. While some legislative bodies may not Programme Committee “recognized that language dispute the need for improved language coverage, services and publications had been significantly they do have understandable concerns when reduced as a result of successive cuts in the provided with assessments of required resources budget”.62 The FAO Council, while emphasizing involving expenditures well beyond even the most that appropriate resources should be allocated in optimistic budget growth scenarios. For the the Programme and Work Budget 2000-2001 in United Nations alone, estimates of some US$ 700 order to reduce the present imbalance in the use of million have been flagged in that context. These languages of the Organization, also requested the estimates may not sufficiently take into account secretariat to submit “supplementary information other factors such as the life cycle of documents concerning resource allocations in support of and information material, the need to set up language policy in FAO in previous biennial priorities or opportunities from interaction with budgets, in the proposed PWB for 2000-2001 and other stakeholders. in the long term to demonstrate the progressive improvement sought by the Council”63 133. Most United Nations system organizations Consequently, incremental resources of US$ 1.6 have now embarked on results-based budgeting million and US$ 2.1 million were included which the Secretary-General of the United Nations, respectively in the PWB 2000-2001 and PWB among others, has defined as “a programme budget 2002-2003 under a new programme entity called process in which: (a) programme formulation “Programme for the Improvement of Language revolves around a set of predefined objectives and Coverage”. expected results; (b) expected results would justify resource requirements which are derived from and 131. Although the context of multilingualism in linked to the outputs required to achieve such the EU is not entirely comparable to that of the results; and (c) actual performance in achieving United Nations system organizations, it is worth results is measured by objective performance noting that the different institutions of the EU have indicators”.64 The move to results-based-budgeting some 3,000 translators and 950 interpreters provides therefore legislative bodies and covering the current 11 official languages. Those secretariats with an ideal tool to better match words figures will increase with the expected enlargement with deeds in their quest for improved of the membership of the Union. The total cost for multilingualism, in particular by allowing them to such a workforce was estimated at 685.9 million place public information and communications at euros in the 1999 budget, but EU officials the heart of the strategic management of their downplay the importance of that figure by respective organizations as emphasized by the observing that it represents only 0.8 per cent of the General Assembly in resolution 56/64 quoted total budget of the Union and an average of 2 euros above. per capita per year to enable all European citizens and their Governments to play a part in the building 134. Besides the regular budget, there are of Europe in their respective official languages. opportunities from interaction with individual There is, however, a fundamental difference Member States, intergovernmental organizations between EU institutions and United Nations system and civil society organizations as sources of organizations as legislation passed by the former funding or providers of information material in has to be ultimately translated into the legislation specific languages. In a report on cooperation of all Member States in their respective official between the United Nations and the International languages. Organization of la Francophonie,65 the Secretary-General of the United Nations highlighted, for instance, some of the activities 62 CL 116/14, “Report of the eighty-first session of the Programme Committee”. 64 A/53/500, “Results-based budgeting: report of the 63 CL 116/REP, para. 107. Report of the Council Secretary-General”, summary. of FAO. Hundred and sixteenth session. (Rome, 14-19 June 1999). 65 A/56/390.

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funded by IOF which include a contribution to the capabilities of senior staff in FAO’s languages and enhancement of the United Nations web site in their effective use within the Secretariat”.66 There French, funding for the recruitment of an expert in is a need for a change of culture within many communications and public relations in ECA, secretariats if they are to make more visible financial assistance to UNESCO for the translation progress in the multilingual content of their and publication of the French edition of The outputs. Too often translation appears to be an History of the Scientific and Cultural Development afterthought instead of being considered as part of of Mankind (The History of Mankind), etc. DPI has the work to be done so as to cater to the needs of all also entered into agreements with the University of stakeholders. Furthermore, relevant information on Salamanca, Spain and Ein Shams University of the implications of language parity in the delivery Cairo, for the translation of portions of the of outputs is not always submitted to governing United Nations web site into Spanish and Arabic bodies for their consideration. respectively. 138. In his foreword to the “Annual overview 135. Translating the Universal Declaration of report of the Administrative Committee on Human Rights into more than 300 languages has Coordination for 1996”, the Secretary-General of been made possible through an open-ended the United Nations argued that a new system of network of goodwill translators from all origins culture must emerge, based among other factors on (individual staff members from DPI, UNDP or “a common appreciation of the challenges ahead UNESCO, permanent missions, national and and of the respective strengths of the various international NGOs). On a bilateral basis, some organizations of the system in meeting them”. He Governments have also provided funding on also felt that “By the way they act and cooperate in occasion to support translations into specific ACC, executive heads must set an example that languages. All those opportunities for partnerships affects the culture of, and encourages genuine to support multilingualism should be encouraged teamwork among, the secretariats of the system.”67 but should also be seen as complementary efforts One has yet to see how this forward vision has and not as substitutes for the collective been translated by ACC itself and its successor, commitments of Member States in the framework CEB, in the field of information dissemination and of the legislative bodies of each organization. what has been done at that level to project the image that, as a symbol of the unity of the 136. As hard as it may be to define equal United Nations system, CEB membership is indeed treatment of languages in the context of committed to the promotion of multilingualism to organizations with a universal mandate and better serve its diverse stakeholders. In a previous worldwide outreach ambitions, equality needs to be report on the review of ACC and its machinery,68 better expressed by not leaving the impression that JIU had recommended inter alia that ACC should the regular budget is meant to serve one or two promote further efforts by all organizations to languages on a priority basis and only others as a apply existing language policies for document symbolic gesture. As a matter of policy, the regular distribution to information made available online. budget should, therefore, come first in line as the Concerning in particular the multilingual content of main source of funding for improved language web sites and although individual organizations parity, and it is up to legislative bodies to ensure have made visible progress in that regard, example that the budgetary decisions they make reflect did not come from the top as all the web sites of better their stated policies. ACC and its subsidiary bodies have been from the beginning in English only. The situation remained B. Improved arrangements within unchanged after the transformation of ACC into secretariats CEB as its new web site (http://ceb.unsystem.org) is also in English for the time being, and prospects (a) Need for a change of culture for an improvement appear to be remote.

137. While it concurred that improved language coverage required additional resources, the FAO 66 CL 116/REP, para. 110. Council “recognized that ensuring adequate 67 language balance was also dependent on working E/1997/54. arrangements within the Secretariat” and it 68 JIU/REP/1999/1. emphasized “The importance of the linguistic

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139. The main web site of WHO is in “everything in all languages at all times” and the English, French and Spanish and has a very policy of everything in one language only useful section on diseases outbreaks irrespective of the diversity of targeted audiences. (http://www.who.int/csr/don/), but all the monthly outbreak news appears in English only, including (b) Need for improved access to existing that concerning, for instance, influenza in data , cholera in or , ebola haemorrhagic fever in Gabon or the Republic of 142. There is very limited access to information Congo, or dengue haemorrhagic fever in on the implementation of the United Nations El Salvador. While concern for worldwide New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the travellers justifies that important information on 1990s (UN-NADAF) in languages other such outbreaks is given in English, similar than English on the web sites of the Department concerns, if not preferential treatment, should have of Economic and Social Affairs prevailed in favour of local administrations and the (http://www.un.org/esa/africa/un-nadaf.htm) or general public of the affected countries by allowing ECA (http://www.uneca.org) despite the fact all access to the information in French or Spanish. pertinent reports and resolutions are otherwise available on the Official Document System (ODS) 140. The Information for Development Program in all six official languages. Hyperlinks to ODS or (infoDev) is managed by the World Bank to to relevant General Assembly sessions could have address issues and obstacles facing developing improved the multilingual content of those two web countries in an increasingly information-driven sites without adding to the workload of translation world economy. It considers that the dissemination units. Similarly, although the list of diseases and sharing of information is an important covered by the Communicable Disease component of its mandate. In its 1998 annual Surveillance and Response (CSR) on the web site report, infoDev emphasized that “there is a growing of WHO (http://www.who.int/emc/diseases/) recognition that telecommunications and Internet appears to be accessible in English only, actual access are no longer luxuries for developing documents on some diseases are in two countries, but rather strategic factors of (English/French or English/Spanish) or three development and poverty reduction”.69 Although its languages (English/French/Spanish). Viewers using donors include countries and institutions such as the French and Spanish versions of the main web , Canada, France, Switzerland and the site of WHO could have benefited from the related European Union, its web site information if they had been guided by appropriate (http://www.infodev.org) is in English only, even links to the pertinent documents. for accessing an important and useful output like the “Economic Internet Toolkit for African Policy (c) Need for a better coordinated Makers” which was developed in collaboration approach to information with ECA and the African Internet Forum “to assist dissemination African policy and decision makers to better understand” the Internet, its costs and benefits and 143. The Third United Conference on the Least related policy issues. Developed Countries (LDCs) was held in May 2001. By the end of September 2002, important 141. The need for a change of culture should not documents such as the report of the Conference70 be seen as a one-way street. Where the end-users and the Programme of Action71 were still of information posted online are clearly identified accessible respectively in three languages (English, as being from a specific language group, or when French and Spanish) and two languages (English information has become obsolete for lack of being and French) on the UNCTAD web site whereas updated, the appropriateness of requesting both documents had been released on ODS in the translation as a matter of principle may be six United Nations official languages back on questionable. It should be possible to strike a balance between the impossible dream of

70 A/CONF.191/11. 69 “1998 infoDev Annual Report”, p. 9; accessible at http://www.infodev.org. 71 A/CONF.191/13.

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27 June 2001 for the first document Headquarters headed by an official appointed by and 1 February 2002 for the second one. the Secretary-General. Those offices are part of the Concerning the same Conference, FAO made a overall Secretariat of the United Nations but as presentation on the role of agriculture in the shown in annex III(b), 9 out of 16 of them have development of the LDCs72 which is available on their web sites in English only. Such interaction its web site in Arabic, English, French and Spanish should be particularly visible on the web sites of but can be accessed only in English both on ODS the Organization, taking into account the and the UNCTAD web site. Considering that 34 recognition that “the Internet will be an African countries are classified as LDCs out of a increasingly important vehicle through which the total of 49, the ECA web site would have gained United Nations message is transmitted in the years both in content and in language coverage if it were to come”.74 to make hyperlinks to important work concerning those countries available in several languages on 146. System-wide, organizations of the the web sites of UNCTAD, the World Bank or United Nations family could all benefit from taking other organizations. better advantage of, or highlighting, what others have done and thus improve the 144. Despite efforts made towards improved multilingual content of their own web sites. In coordination both at interdepartmental and that connection DPI has made a listing of global inter-agency levels, much remains to be done in the issues on the United Nations agenda field of information dissemination. In many cases, (http://www.un.org/partners/civil_society/agenda.ht besides the main home page of the organization, m) with links to web sites of other organizations technical departments often have their own page concerned. This commendable initiative could which is maintained and updated without serve as a basis to be enriched in CEB so as to centralized control either content or over languages become an official gateway to online information used. The multilingual content of such web sites is on global issues from all United Nations system therefore dependent on the linguistic skills organizations, in the same fashion as First Gov available within the departments, unless translation (http://www.firstgov.gov), an official United States is provided by the language services which are Government portal which aims at transcending the already overburdened by more pressing tasks. As a traditional boundaries of government with a global result, the world at large may underestimate the vision geared at connecting the world to all wealth of information actually generated by the United States Government information and organizations concerned. services.

145. The Secretary-General of the United Nations noted in his latest reform initiative that the United Nations “must be able to translate the many resolutions, decisions, declarations and debates into meaningful messages that bring to the fore its central role in working for a better world” and, to that end, it “must ensure that its information materials and related activities have the desired impact and constitute an effective means to project the Organization’s own distinctive voice to the world at large”.73 To project a corporate image of the United Nations with its diversified missions and structure will require closer attention to languages in which those materials are made available, as well as closer collaboration between DPI, other departments at Headquarters and offices away from

72 A/CONF.191/BP/6.

73 A/57/387, “Strengthening of the United Nations: an agenda for further change”. 74 Ibid.

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Annex I (a): Languages used in the United Nations and affiliated bodies (Governing bodies of main organs, regional commissions and affiliated bodies)

Organ Official Working Data source/observations languages languages (R.P.: rules of procedure)

General Assembly A C E F R S A C E F R S R.P., rule 51 (A/520/Rev.15) (and its main committees) Security Council A C E F R S A C E F R S R.P., rule 41 (S/96/Rev.7)

Economic and Social Council A C E F R S E F S R.P., rule 32 (E/5715/Rev.2) (and its functional commissions) (E/5975/Rev.1 for functional commissions) Trusteeship Council C E F R S E F R.P., rule 26 (T/1/Rev.7)

International Court of Justice E F E F ICJ Statute 1945 (art. 39.1) ECA A E F R.P., art. 31 (E/CN.14/111/Rev.8/Corr.2)

ECE E F R R.P., rule 40 (See http://www.unece.org/oes/00uneceterms) Regional commissions ECLAC E F S P E F S R.P., art. 42 (LC/G.1403/Rev.3) ESCAP C E F R R.P., rule 44 (E/2001/39-E/ESCAP/1231) ESCWA A E F R.P., rule 25 UNDP/UNFPA A C E F R S E F S R.P., rule 4 (DP/1997/32) UNICEF C E F S R E F S R.P., art. 26 (E/ICEF/177/Rev.4) UNHCR A C E F R S E F R.P., rule 28 (A/AC.96/187/Rev.5) UNEP A C E F S R A C E F S R R.P., art. 63 (UNEP/GC/3/Rev.3) UNCTAD A C E F S R A E F S R.P., rules 69 (TD/63/Rev.2) and 64 (TD/B/740) UNRWA A E F WFP A E F S E F S R.P. of the Executive Board (rule XIV) (Special arrangements for Chinese)

A: Arabic // C: Chinese // E: English // F: French // P: Portuguese // R: Russian // S: Spanish.

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Annex I (b): Languages used in the governing bodies of the specialized agencies and IAEA

Organization Official Working Data source/observations languages languages (R.P.: rules of procedure G.R.: General Regulations) ILO A C E F G R S E F S Standing Orders of the International Labour Conference, art. 24 FAO A C E F S A C E F S Rule XLVII of the General Rules (Refers to (Ref. observations) (Ref. observations) “languages of the Organization”) Conference A C E F H I P R S A C E F R S R.P., Conference (rules 54 and 50) UNESCO Executive Board A C E F R S R.P., rule 21 of the Executive Board ICAO A C E F R S A C E F R S R.P., Assembly (rules 64 and 65); Council (Ref. observations) (Ref. observations) (rule 56) refer to “Languages of deliberations” and “Languages of documentation” W. Health Assembly A C E F R S A C E F R S Resolution WHA31.13 (1978) and and Executive Board R.P., rule 22 of the EB AFRO E F P S E F P R.P., rule 22 (Regional Committee) AMRO/PAHO E F P S None R.P. (Panamerican Sanitary Conference) WHO EMRO A E F A E F R.P., rule 21 (Regional Committee) EURO E F G R None R.P., rule 20 (Regional Committee) SEARO E E R.P., rule 21 (Regional Committee) WPRO C E F E F R.P. (Regional Committee) UPU F A E F S + C G P R Constitution, art. 6; General Regulations, art. 107 ITU* A C E F R S A C E F R S Art. 29, ITU Constitution WMO A C E F R S A C E F R S G.R. 117-122 (1999). Only relevant languages are used for sessions of the six Regional Associations IMO A C E F R S E F S R.P., rule 29 (Assembly) and rule 27 (Council); (“Official languages” and “working languages” of the Organization) WIPO A C E F R S + WIPO Convention, art. 6 (2) (vii); Some P WO/GA/26/1, para. 10; WO/GA/26/10, paras. 175, 180 UNIDO A C E F R S A C E F R S R.P., (rule 61) “languages of the General (Ref. observations) (Ref. observations) Conference”; R.P., (rule 65) “languages of the Board” IAEA A C E F R S A C E F R S R.P., Conference (rule 86); Board (rules 51 and 52) World Bank E IMF E Rule C-13 (Rules and Regulations); translation into the “standard” languages (A C F G P R S) IFAD A E F S A E F S “Languages of the Council” (R.P., rule 20) “Languages of the Board” (R.P., rule 26)

A: Arabic // C: Chinese // E: English // F: French // G: German // H: Hindi // I: Italian // P: Portuguese // R: Russian // S: Spanish.

* See paragraph 16 for more details concerning official and working languages in ITU.

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Annex II: Working languages of secretariats

Organization Working languages Languages mostly used for Mandated De facto Intranets Databases Original texts of documents United Nations E F except for: E F (Geneva) E E (76.5%) / F (12.8%) - ECE (E F R) E (New York E/F (4.2%) / Other (6.5%) - ECLAC (E F S) and other main [UNOG in 2000] - ESCWA (A E F) duty stations) ILO E F S E F S E F S E (85.2%) F (13.3%) / S (1.5%) FAO A C E F S E E F S Out of 13,274,000 words sent for translation in 2002: E (97.34 %) / S (1.47%) F (1.16%) / A (0.02%) UNESCO E F (Paris); either E F 1998: E (60.86%) / F (39.14%) E or F or both 1999: E (64.09%) / F (35.91%) (other duty 2000: E (74.69%) / F (25.31%) stations)* ICAO A C E F R S E E E E (85%) F (6%) / S (4%) A C R (5%) WHO None E F E E UPU E F E F E F E F F (45%) / E (45%) Others (10%) ITU E F S E F E F E F E (93%) WMO E F R S E F E F E E (97.4 %) /A (1.7%) R (0.2%) / Other (0.7%) IMO E F S ** E E E WIPO A C E F R S + Mainly E F E F E F E (57.5%) / E/F (17.8%) some P + A C G J R S (12.3%) / F (8.2%) S*** Other (4.2%) UNIDO E E E n/a IAEA None E E E E (68%) / R (14%) / S (8%) F (4%) / A (3%) / G (2%) C (0.4%) / Other (0.3%) World Bank E E E IMF E E E IFAD A E F S E E A E F S

A: Arabic // C: Chinese // E: English // F: French // G: German // J: Japanese // P: Portuguese // R: Russian // S: Spanish.

* The working languages at UNESCO Headquarters are English and French. Away from Headquarters, either English or French, or both, are used unless one of the other official languages is also used as a working language. (Item 155, UNESCO Manual).

** As per article 11 of the IMO Convention, “the Organization shall consist of an Assembly, a Council, a Marine Safety Committee, a Legal Committee, a Marine Environment Protection Committee, a Technical Co-operation Committee and such subsidiary organs as the Organization may at any time consider necessary; and a Secretariat”. The different rules of procedure further indicate that English, French and Spanish are the working languages of the Organization.

*** Plus other languages as required for serving private-sector users of WIPO services. - 40 -

Annex III (a): Languages used for publications, CD-ROMs and e-books

Organization Publications Electronic publishing In official/working languages In other languages CD-ROMs E-books (Percentage per language) United Nations (Refers to sales items only) E or E/F E (62%) / F (23%) / S (15%) A C R (less than 1%) ILO E (100%) / F/S (20%) Under licence or to field E F S E A C G R (10%) offices (10%) FAO (2000) A (6.7%) / C (6.7%) / E (41.3%) (0.5) E F S F (17.3%) / S (17.3%) (FAOSTAT in Bilingual (1.9%) / Trilingual (6.7%) A C E F S) Multilingual (1.4%)

UNESCO E (39%) / F (32.7%) / S (17.6%) Under licence A (3%) / C (0.6%) / R (1.2%) Multilingual (5.5%)

ICAO E (60%) / F (15%) / S (12%) E R (7%) / A (4%) / C (2%) WHO E (83%) / F (11%) / S (6%) 88 publications in 28 languages in 2000 UPU E/F (90-95%) / S (50-60%) n/a A (50%) / R (30%) P (20-25%) / G and C (15%)

ITU E (36%) / F (29%) / S (29%) A C E F R S A (2%) / C (2%) / R (2%)

WMO E (31.0%) / F (22.6%) / S (20.0%) R (18.3%) / A (4.5%) / C (3.6%) IMO E (30%) / F (25%) / S (25%) E F S R (10%) / A (5%) / C (5%) WIPO A (23%) / C (12%) / E (99%) G (20%) / Dt (5%) E F G R S E F S F (88%) / P (11%) / R (23%) / S (48%) I (12%) / JP (2%)

UNIDO

IAEA E (68%) / F (20%) G (5%) S (10%) / R (5%) World Bank E F G S E E IMF E F G S A C P R (On ad hoc basis) IFAD E F S I

A: Arabic // C: Chinese // E: English // F: French // G: German // P: Portuguese // R: Russian // S: Spanish // Dt: Dutch // I: Italian // JP: Japanese.

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Annex III (b): Languages on the main web sites of the United Nations and its affiliated bodies

Organization/units (URL) Languages on home page (Planned improvements/observations)

United Nations (Headquarters and main Offices away from Headquarters headed by an official accountable to the Secretary-General) United Nations main web site (http://www.un.org) A C E F R S (21 other languages on local web sites of United Nations Information Centres and services) UNCTAD (http://www.unctad.org) E F S UNEP (http://www.unep.org) E UN-Habitat (http://www.unhabitat.org) E UNODC (http://unodc.org)* E ECA (http://www.uneca.org) E F (Arabic planned) ECE (http://www.unece.org) E ECLAC (http://www.eclac.cl) E S ESCAP (http://www.unescap.org) E ESCWA (http://www.escwa.org.lb) A E UNHCHR (http://www.unhchr.ch) E F S UNHCR (http://www.unhcr.ch) Main home page in E C F S and 7 other languages but not Arabic and Russian UNRWA (http://www.un.org/unrwa) A E OCHA (http://www.reliefweb.int/ocha_ol/) E UNOG (http://www.unog.ch) E F UNON (http://www.unon.org) E UNOV (http://www.unov.org) E UNDP (http://www.undp.org) E F S UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org) E F S (some 40 UNICEF country offices web sites developed partially in local languages) UNFPA (http://www.unfpa.org) E WFP (http://www.wfp.org) E

A: Arabic // C: Chinese // E: English // F: French // G: German // J: Japanese // K: Korean // P: Portuguese // Po: Polish // R: Russian // S: Spanish.

* Web site of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), formerly the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP); replaces http://www.odccp.org which may continue to work for sometime but re-routes to the new URL.

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Annex III (c): Languages on web sites of the specialized agencies and IAEA and two non-United Nations system organizations (EU and OECD)

Organization (URL) Languages on home page (Planned improvements/observations)

ILO (http://www.ilo.org) E F S (access to local web sites in A, G, I, JP, P, R and TK but no C yet). All documents of Governing Body and Conference in the seven official languages. FAO (http://www.fao.org) A C E F S (major efforts will be pursued to improve language coverage deeper into the site, in particular for A and C) UNESCO (http://www.unesco.org) A C E F R S ICAO (http://www.icao.int) E (except press releases) WHO (http://www.who.int) E F S UPU (http://www.upu.int) E F (also A P S for documents) ITU (http://www.itu.int) E F S WMO (http://www.wmo.ch) E F S at level 1 (core pages in E F S at level 2 if funds available; long-term goal of all core pages in six languages at levels 1, 2 and 3) IMO (http://www.imo.org) E WIPO (http://www.wipo.int) A E C F R S UNIDO (http://www.unido.org) E IAEA (http://www.iaea.int) E World Bank (http://www.worldbank.org) E F P R S IMF (http://www.imf.org) E F G S IFAD (http://www.ifad.org) E (most official material in the four official languages) EU (http://europe.eu.int) 11 languages (DK, DT, E, FN, F, G, GR, I, P, S, SW) OECD (http://www.oecd.org) E F

A: Arabic // C: Chinese // DK: Danish // DT: Dutch // E: English // F: French // FN: Finnish // G: German // GR: Greek // I: Italian // JP: Japanese // K: Korean // P: Portuguese // Po: Polish // R: Russian // S: Spanish // SW: Swedish // TK: Turkish.

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